Coexisting and competing with China in Africa: Indian perspectives in Ghana

How are members of the Indian diaspora and business community in Ghana responding to increasing Chinese engagement in the region?

Please join the Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub and South Asia Center on December 12 at 9:00 am for a virtual panel discussion on a forthcoming paper that examines how Indian businesses can compete in African markets that are already deeply integrated with Chinese businesses and supply chains.

A common issue that the United States, India, and many other countries seeking to deepen economic ties with Africa face is the ability to provide viable alternatives to Chinese products and services at the scale the continent needs for its growth. For New Delhi to craft “a new outreach” to its traditional partners, especially those in Africa, examining China’s active engagement and increasingly larger footprint in the region will be key. The extent of this footprint can be analyzed by putting together the picture emerging from many growing African countries with significant Chinese presence.

This panel will explore the results of research conducted by the report’s authors, including interviews of representatives of twelve Indian companies in Accra and Tema in August 2022, as well as with local Ghanaian businesses, academics, tribal chiefs, and trade union representatives. One of the fastest-growing economies in West Africa, Ghana has shared deep historical, ideological, economic, and political relations with both Asian powers. The West African country also houses a significant Indian diaspora and has become a popular destination for Chinese migrants, providing an interesting canvas to evaluate perceptions.

What lessons can the United States and other countries that seek to invest in the African continent learn from India’s own experience of both competing and coexisting with Chinese businesses?