India’s focus on local manufacturing, skills development and processing offers African countries an alternative route to industrial growth and economic transformation….reports Asian Lite News Desk
India’s beneficiation-led and manufacturing-focused investment strategy in Africa’s mining sector offers countries on the continent an opportunity to move up the value chain in critical minerals, boosting economic growth and job creation, according to an international media report.
An article published by IOL highlighted that while countries such as South Africa are among the world’s leading producers of critical minerals, their mining sectors remain largely focused on extraction and export, with limited beneficiation and value addition.
The report noted that several established powers, including the European Union, the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and Russia, along with emerging players such as China, Japan, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, are active in Africa’s critical minerals sector. However, it argued that their approaches have done little to help African countries advance further along the value chain.
According to the article, India’s engagement with Africa is centred on capacity building, sustainable investment and digital public infrastructure, offering an alternative model for resource-rich nations seeking to strengthen domestic industries.
Africa possesses nearly 30 per cent of the world’s critical mineral reserves, yet many countries continue to export raw materials without developing local refining capabilities or integrated value chains.
The report stated that India’s approach focuses on joint ventures in mineral processing, skills development, digital governance and local employment, aimed at creating long-term industrial capacity within African economies.
It further described India as positioning itself as a development partner that combines technological expertise and investment with a history of solidarity with African nations.
The article also highlighted the growing importance of India-South Africa economic ties, arguing that deeper cooperation could support industrial development, economic growth and shared prosperity for both countries.
The report referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Namibia in 2025, during which he emphasised the importance of value addition and industrialisation across the African continent.
“In 2018, I had laid out ten principles of our engagement with Africa. Today, I reaffirm India’s full commitment to them. They are based on respect, equality, and mutual benefit. We seek not to compete, but to cooperate. Our goal is to build together. Not to take, but to grow together,” Modi had said.
The article noted that India’s development partnership projects across Africa are valued at more than $12 billion and are aimed at promoting shared growth and sustainable development.
“We believe that Africa must not be just a source of raw materials. Africa must lead in value creation and sustainable growth. That is why we fully support Africa’s Agenda 2063 for industrialisation,” the Prime Minister had stated.
According to the report, India’s emphasis on beneficiation, local manufacturing and skills transfer could help African countries derive greater value from their mineral resources while supporting broader economic transformation and industrial growth.
