Memory is the locker that stores historical moments. When Mahatma Gandhi was thrown off a train in Pietermaritzburg in 1893 for the colour of his skin, which sparked a movement that would change the destinies of two nations, from that moment of personal insult, the philosophy of Satyagraha grew, shaping India’s freedom struggle and inspiring anti-colonial movements across Africa.
That episode remains the moral bedrock of India–South Africa relations. But as the world turns its gaze to the turbulent Indian Ocean, to the race for critical minerals, and to the complex dance of great power politics, this historic bond is transforming into a hard-edged, future-focused partnership. Today, India and South Africa are no longer just co-travellers in the freedom struggle; they are strategic actors in a multipolar world, bound by geography, economic complementarities, shared democratic values, and an increasingly urgent common agenda.
The Indian Ocean is no longer a peaceful zone of trade — it has become a critical area of geopolitical competition. For India, which considers itself the “net security provider” in the region, the southern Indian Ocean is crucial. For South Africa, situated at the intersection of the busy and delicate Cape Sea lanes, one of the world’s most active trade routes, security in the Indian Ocean is a key concern.
The 9th India–South Africa Joint Defence Committee (JDC) meeting, held in Johannesburg on 23–24 June 2025, marks a quiet but significant shift in New Delhi’s African strategy. Two new agreements on submarine cooperationsignal that the partnership is no longer limited to historical goodwill — it is evolving into a maritime security compact with real strategic weight.
South Africa, with its dual Indian and Atlantic Ocean coastlines, sits at the crossroads of global sea lanes. For India, this cooperation is more than symbolic. By sharing expertise in submarine operations, training, and support systems, New Delhi is strengthening a southern anchor for its SAGAR vision (Security and Growth for All in the Region). In a world where chokepoints are increasingly contested, this is an investment in safe sea lanes and mutual maritime resilience.
Established under the 2000 MoU on Defence Cooperation, the JDC is more than a bureaucratic forum. Co-chaired by the Defence Secretaries of both countries, it reviews policy, training, production, and R&D collaboration, while its sub-committees dig deeper into acquisitions and capability development. This layered engagement reflects India’s new Africa playbook — moving from episodic interactions to institutionalised partnerships.
India and South Africa’s defence ties are rooted in a shared anti-colonial past and decades of solidarity against apartheid. But today, the collaboration is about co-producing security in the Indian Ocean, not just exchanging goodwill. For Pretoria, this opens doors to affordable technology transfers and training ecosystems; for New Delhi, it means reliable partners at key maritime junctions.
India’s Africa outreach has always combined hard and soft power. Alongside these defence advances, New Delhi continues to invest in vocational training centres, rural technology parks, and trilateral projects with FAO and USAID for food security. The 3A Framework — Affordable, Appropriate, Adaptable technologies — ensures that partnerships are shaped around African priorities.
Submarine cooperation is not the end goal; it is a step toward an African maritime security architecture where India is a trusted partner. For two democracies bound by history and geography, the path forward is clear: from freedom partners to co-architects of a stable Indian Ocean.
Looking ahead, there is scope for deeper collaboration in defence manufacturing, unmanned systems, and coastal security — areas where India has rapidly indigenised technology and can offer cost-effective solutions to South Africa’s defence modernisation needs.
If the Indian Ocean symbolises the fluid frontlines of geopolitics, South Africa’s mineral-rich core remains its solid foundation. The country ranks among the world’s top producers of platinum group metals (PGMs), manganese, gold, and rare earths — minerals vital for green technologies, defence manufacturing, and the global energy shift.
India, with its ambitious energy transition and electronics manufacturing plans, requires secure and diversified access to these resources. South Africa, which has historically exported these commodities as raw materials, seeks to advance up the value chain and industrialise its mining sector. This is where complementarities emerge.
India already imports large amounts of gold, coal, manganese, and phosphoric acid from South Africa. However, the future depends on cooperation in strategic minerals — rare earth elements, lithium, and PGMs — which are essential for everything from electric vehicles and wind turbines to guided missiles. Establishing a structured bilateral framework for critical mineral supply chains, technology transfers for value addition, and joint ventures in refining and processing could reduce reliance on monopolistic suppliers and foster a South-South resource partnership model.
The possibilities go beyond extraction. India’s expertise in diamond cutting and polishing could help South Africa generate more value locally, while South African skills in deep-level mining can enhance India’s exploration efforts. This mutually beneficial exchange would also support the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which aims to transform Africa from a resource exporter to an industrialised, value-adding continent — a goal India actively endorses.
Beyond ships and mines, the heart of the India–South Africa story beats in its people. With 1.7 million people of Indian origin — about 3% of South Africa’s population — the Indian diaspora is the largest in continental Africa and one of the most politically and economically influential. Concentrated mainly in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, this community has woven itself into South Africa’s social fabric while retaining its cultural heritage.
Diaspora diplomacy has become a key tool of statecraft. Cultural initiatives, such as the International Day of Yoga (drawing record crowds of 8,000 in Johannesburg in 2024), ICCR-sponsored troupes, and educational exchanges, sustain these people-to-people bonds. These linkages also facilitate smooth trade and investment flows, making the diaspora an invaluable economic bridge.
If the diaspora is the heart, history is the soul of this partnership. India and South Africa share a moral and political legacy rooted in their fights against colonialism and racial oppression. India was the first country to sever trade ties with apartheid South Africa in 1946, lobbied relentlessly for sanctions at the UN and NAM, and kept the anti-apartheid struggle alive in global forums.
India’s bond with South Africa runs deep. It gave refuge to the African National Congress, hosting its first overseas office in New Delhi, and contributed generously to the AFRICA Fund to support frontline states fighting apartheid. That solidarity came full circle when Nelson Mandela walked free and called India his “second home.” His receipt of the Bharat Ratna — India’s highest civilian honour — was more than a personal tribute. It symbolised a shared journey of resistance, dignity, and renewal.
India’s engagement with South Africa is a key part of its broader Southern Africa strategy. India’s strategy extends beyond South Africa.
In BRICS, IBSA, and the G20, India and South Africa push for fairer trade, climate justice, and multilateral reform. India’s role in securing the African Union’s G20 membership cemented its position as Africa’s advocate in global governance..
India and South Africa are no longer just moral partners in freedom; they are co-architects of a new regional order, shaping maritime security, critical mineral value chains, and Global South solidarity. The partnership is clear-eyed: rooted in shared history, but unapologetically focused on the future, stable seas, secure resources, and a stronger Global South.
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