India is taking its traditional soft power to the Horn of Africa, reaching out to Eritrea with an offer to train locals and invest in health to boost trade ties.
The move, announced by Indian External Affairs minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, this week, could be a boon for the much-maligned Eritrea which has been fighting allegations of committing atrocities in neighbouring Ethiopia.
But it could also continue India’s tradition of using soft power to strengthen relations, as opposed to relying on security cooperation as rivals who have ventured into the Horn have done.
The revelations came on Friday after Eritrea’s delegation, led by Foreign Minister Osman Saleh, toured India this week to discuss “strengthening bilateral cooperation.”
India’s embassy in Asmara, which is only a year old, called it a “milestone in bilateral relations.”
"[We have had] useful discussions with Dr Osman Saleh Mohammed of Eritrea,” said Dr Jaishankar.
“We have explored possibilities of cooperation in renewable energy, tele-education, capacity building, health, mining and maritime security. We have also discussed the regional situation and international issues,” he said on his Twitter page.
Dr Saleh, a trusted lieutenant of President Isaias Afwerki, has been his face in international arena, but usually in visits to the Horn neighbours or the Middle East, a result of Eritrea’s troubled relations with other global powers.
Until 2018, Eritrea had been sanctioned by the UN for suspected arming of al-Shabaab militants in Somalia.
This week, officials in Asmara said they had travelled to seek India’s investment interest in Eritrea, to help boost the country’s economy.
“Eritrea's delegation had separate meetings today with India's Minister of External Affairs, Dr S Jaishankar, and National Security Advisor, Shri Ajit Doval, for extensive discussions on multifaceted bilateral cooperation and regional, global matters of mutual concern,” Yemane Meskel, Eritrea’s Information minister said on Friday.
“The two high officials stressed that India was very keen to take its relationship with Eritrea forward and that there were many possibilities for strong partnership. The two sides agreed to boost economic and social cooperation as well as trade and investment ties in key sectors," Yemane added in a series of tweets.
There were no definite timelines or even agreements signed on those economic deals. But the tour could open doors for India’s entry into the Horn of Africa, where Asian rivals China and Japan have established military and security relations with neighbouring Djibouti.
Western powers US, UK, France and Germany also have influence in the Horn, having set up military bases there.
In Africa, India has used its prowess in medical and pharmaceutical technology to be the continent’s main supplier of cheaper, generic drugs. Also, the Serum Institute of India is the main manufacturer of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine delivered to the continent through the Covax facility.
Dr Saleh’s trip to India saw him visit the All India Institute for Medical Sciences and the Indian Agricultural Research Institute “to explore cooperation in health and agriculture, in the areas of capacity building and research,” a statement said.
They also met with business leaders under the influential Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry to discuss “investment opportunities for Indian companies in Eritrea with particular focus on energy, water, agriculture and manufacturing.”
India’s Ambassador to Eritrea, Subhash Chand, says the two countries have had contact since the 17th century, but just under 300 Indians live and work in Eritrea. India recognised Eritrea in 1993 but it wasn't until December 2019 that it opened an embassy in Asmara.
“Relations are developing fast and a few private sector companies operate in Eritrea's mining sector,” Chand argued in a blog on the embassy’s website. But he admitted the stability and security situation in the Horn had hindered interactions.
“The historical peace agreement between Eritrea and Ethiopia has opened doors for business and investment opportunities for Indian companies.”
Eritrea and Ethiopia signed a historical rapprochement deal in 2018, ending more than two decades of animosity.
But their blossoming friendship has earned Eritrea accusations of atrocities in Tigray, Ethiopia, where Asmara offered to help fight the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. Ethiopia has since said Eritrean troops will pull out of the region.
