Paper short abstract:

India’s long-standing development cooperation ties with Africa have changed since the end of the Cold War. This paper aims to analyse the continued development assertions of contemporary Indian actors in Africa and to consider how African countries are responding to this modified and growing Indian presence

Paper long abstract:

This paper is an investigation of African responses to changing Indian imperatives in Africa against the backdrop of a multipolar world.It will argue that Africa views India's augmented development assistance in the continent in two distinct ways. On the one hand, within the new multipolar constellation of power, India is a player like any other (useful to fuel Africa's propensity for extraversion, to bring greater financial flows, and to strengthen the continent negotiating muscle). On the other hand (and most interestingly), egged on by India's own assertions of development assistance (a half way house between neoliberal directive and historical Nehruvian imperatives), New Delhi is seen as a preferred partner and developing world champion and as providing a unique model for development.