France and Africa : An Indian Perspective
Contents: Preface. I. France and Francophone Africa: 1. Introductory remarks/Ajay Dubey. 2. Keynote address/Navdeep Singh Suri. Discussion. II. France and Africa: Implications for India: 3. France and Africa: An overview/Jyoti Tyagi. 4. Franco-African Relations: An overview/Kusum Aggarwal. 5. France in Africa: A Pan-Africanist perspective/Owen Sichone. 6. Role of French language and culture in Indo-West African Relations/Romey Borges. 7. French Policy in North Africa/J.P. Sharma. 8. France and Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa: Changing relations/J.M. Moosa. 9. French Security Policy/Ruchita Beri. 10. French Military engagement in Francophone Africa: Cases of Djibouti and Chad/Nivedita Ray. 11. French Policies in the Western Indian Ocean Islands (1990-2005)/Ankita Bhattacharjee. Discussion. III. France, India and Francophone Africa: 12. India and Francophone Africa: An overview/Vidhan Pathak. 13. Role of Indian knowledge economy in India's relations with Francophone Africa/Rathinavelu. 14. France and Africa: An Indian perspective/Aparajitha Biswas. 15. India and Francophone Africa: The oil factor/S.N. Malakar. 16. India and development sector in Francophone Africa: Expanding horizons/Suresh Kumar. 17. Indian diaspora as a resource for Indo-French Cooperation in Francophone Africa/Ajay Dubey. Discussion. Appendices.
"India has historical and multi dimensional relations with Africa. However, barring a few exceptions, the closer interactions of India with African countries remained confined to Anglophone Africa, most of whom are coastal states or hinterlands of the Indian Ocean. Over two dozen Francophone states, most of whom are in Western and Central Africa remained out of Indian policy priorities. Divergence in colonial experience, language, distances etc. are acting as barriers. But the most important reason for inaccessibility of Francophone Africa was their exclusive and possessive relationship with France. Unlike Anglophone and Lusphone decolonization models, France, even after independence, maintained formal decisive control on the national and regional economy as in The Franc Zone and The Indian Ocean Commission. The advent of globalization which provided openness in domestic and foreign policies of these states and the domestic needs and global aspiration of fast growing and emerging India created imperatives for both regions to come together. An energy hungry India with an urge to restructure institutions of financial and global governance, took new initiatives like TEAM-9 and Africa Focus Programmes to rope in the region where it had good will. The most important factor in heralding a closer cooperation between India and Francophone Africa was is the French influence and control over the region. Even the Indian Africanists realized that when these two regions are trying to come together, they too have not developed adequate intellectual enquiry, knowledge and understanding of the region as well as the nature and extent of French involvement with the region under globalization.
This work came out of from a national symposium which was organized by the Francophone African Studies Programme under UGC Area Studies Scheme in School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University in collaboration with African Studies Association of India (ASA India). The participants included largely academics, top diplomatic included largely academics, top diplomatic officials of French and Indian governments, and representatives of media and business. The book reproduces the proceedings as well as the presentations made during the symposium. The book provides an understanding and analysis of French influence in Africa, the cooperation and competition which India can identify with France to engage with the region and the interest, expectations, advantages and extent up to which Francophone African countries would direct their interactions with India." (jacket)
