India does not believe in a hierarchical world order where a few countries are considered superior to others, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday, while calling for deeper defense and security ties with Africa.
The minister said that India's partnership with any nation is based on sovereign equality and mutual respect.
“We do not believe in making or becoming a client or satellite state, and so, when we partner any nation, it is on the basis of sovereign equality and mutual respect,” he stated.
Addressing African diplomats at the India-Africa Defense Dialogue, Singh invited African countries to explore India's defense equipment, noting that the country's exports of arms and equipment are growing rapidly.
"A defense manufacturing ecosystem has been created in India which has the advantage of abundant technical manpower. Our Indian defense industry can work with you to fulfill your defense requirements," he underlined.
More than 50 African countries participated in the India-Africa Defense Dialogue.
Since April, India has recorded defense exports worth around $1 billion amid a renewed push for supplying affordable items such as Tejas fighter aircraft to Asian and African countries.
During a recent visit to Cairo, India's defense minister indicated that New Delhi is open to joint manufacturing and training in the African region.
India hopes to receive a substantial defense order from African nations as the African Union is taking a greater interest in managing conflicts and coups by itself. The Indian government has aimed to reach $5 billion in defense exports by 2025.
The Narendra Modi government has opened 18 new diplomatic missions in the last three years to cover 90 percent of Africa.
India's defense minister has sought close cooperation with Africa on democratizing multilateral institutions such as the UN, WTO, and WHO.
"I am sure that you also share our belief that the global world order deserves to be democratized further. The world’s multilateral forums should be reflective of the change in global realities," Singh added.
Since the beginning of the Ukraine crisis in February, India has called out richer nations for neglecting the concerns of poor countries and the developing world, which are facing unprecedented rises in commodity prices.
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Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar has been raising the issue that the problems faced by Global South were being brushed aside, especially in the context of the Ukraine conflict, including matters related to food, fuel, and fertilizers.
"Richer countries not fully grasping how poorer countries are being hurt by what's happening in the world. It's a very stressful, unhappy world today. Countries are struggling in a polarized world," the foreign minister stated.
New Delhi has taken a strong stance against Western sanctions on Russia in response to Moscow’s special military operation in Ukraine. India has increased its purchases of oil and fertilizers from Russia since February this year to control the inflationary pressure on its economy.