Distance doesn’t matter, when the roots of relationships are strong enough. Referring to the old English adage, the relationship between India and South Africa can be brought into the limelight. The two nation- states are separated from each other by a distance of 8250 kms, placed in two sparse continents but the conundrum of geographical interval, throughout history has failed to affect the budding relationship between the two.
Spinning the wheels of time, India’s link with the struggle for freedom and prevalence of justice in South Africa dates back to the period during which Mahatma Gandhi initiated his satyagraha in South Africa . India was the first nation state who vehemently opposed apartheid and curtailed diplomatic, cultural, commercial and economic ties with South Africa. However the relationship between India and South Africa saw the day of the light with the fall of the apartheid government with the opening of the Cultural center in Johannesberg in May 1993 . South Africa also inaugurated its High Commission in Delhi and Consulate General in Mumbai,1994.
On the political forefront, there has been a steady consolidation of friendly ties through BRICS, IBSA. ITEC has also played a crucial role in fostering the relationship between the two. By being a mefdium to promote cooperation in development of human resources.
Memorandum of Understanding in the sphere of defence equipment and defence cooperation as well as in the arena of skill development is carving a niche for itself in the hospitable relationship between the two nation-states with undiscovered potential.
After speaking lengths about the fostering tiesa showing upward trend of cooperation and development between India and South Africa, it becomes important to emphasize upon the factors playing catalytic role in making the two ends meet and they are as follows –
BILATERAL TRADE AND INVESTMENTS-
India being South Africa’s fourth largest export venues and fifth largest import origin, moreover its the second largest trading partner in Asia, it gives an enormous boost to the bilateral relations exhibiting traits of multilateralism. Both the countries are striving to boost their trade volumes, encashing their coastal proximity to Indian Ocean. According to the joint study by CII, leading Indian companies like Wipro, HCL, Zomato, Mhindra has invested volumes in the soil of South Africa creating lucrative opportunities for both the countries to develope along the lines of mutual economic prosperities.
INDIAN COMMUNITY IN SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa is home to the highest number of Indians in the African continent with a total strength of 1,218,000(MEA) thereby constituting 3% of South Africa’s total population.
Student exchange programmes and employment opportunities boost the influx of Indians in South Africa creating a powerful nexus which inturn acts as the pressure group ensuring stronger relations between the country of origin and their country of residence. Henceforth the diaspora plays undoubtedly an active role in determining the fate of India and South Africa in the near future.
REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
In 2010, South Africa became a member of BRICS with the aim to promote peace, security and development. However due to internal disparities between dominant players namely, India and China, cooperation and peace is failing to gain its due momentum in BRICS. Critics now find a dire need to pass the baton of power in hands of a credible stable organization formed by a group of countries who are allies and there is less or no room for futility.
Inception of IBIS formed by INDIA, BRAZIL, INDONESIA and SOUTH AFRICA is a steady alternative according to the analysts. India and South Africa already share a bond of mutual benefit. Brazil and Indonesia shall also stand equal chance to voice their opinions and develop their economies with the help of India and South Africa without any outright dominance as incase of BRICS, Brazil most of the time was subdued by China’s entourage due to the sluggish Brazilian economy.
Another very important aspect that makes IBIS credible is the outright presence of cultural symmetries of the countries converging to attain equilibrium so as to govern Asia by the Asian countries. Thereby credibility of IBIS is reliable if tested according to the standards established by theories propounded by great scholars of the discipline like that of Kautilya’s Arthashastra where in clear terms he stated that allies coming together to form alliance shall be truly based on cooperation.
FETTERS ON THE PATH OF IBIS.
IBIS as mentioned above runs high on credibility but credibility alone cannot maintain the core of an institution which is to be vested with the reins of power of a region as dynamic as Asia.
There are several fetters on the path of IBIS which can create possibilities of disharmony and chaos within the institution leading to dismantling of core ethics consisting of cooperation and development.
The factors that acts as the wind beneath the tendencies of dismantalization are-
Difference in the pace of economic development, creating a fertile ground for the dominant players like India to assume a hegemonic narrative to perceive and comprehend economic strategies which might not align with the economic Understandings of the lesser developed countries like Brazil and Indonesia. The biggest challenge that IBIS is predicted to face shall be the extravagance of India disillusioning the vision of Brazil, South Africa and Indonesia just like China does in BRICS.
Another important and highly predictive challenge that IBIS might face, shall be the product of India’s consistent insecurities of Chinese presence in Brazilian, South African and Indonesian economies. China became Brazil’s largest trading partner in 2009. Former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and many in the Brazilian media consider China to be “Brazil’s most promising business partner and a strategic ally” due to China’s “rapidly rising demand for raw materials and agricultural produce.
Indonesia and China share historic ties of proximity where Indonesia hosts the largest number of Chinese descendents, creating a close linkage between China and Indonesia through enhanced bilateral relations.
As far as South Africa is concerned, the relations between the two nation states saw a drastic improvement since 2007. In 2010 Beijing Declaration was signed between China and South Africa where South Africa was upgraded to the diplomatic status of Comprehensive Partner by the Chinese government.
However future cant be predicted in strong words, especially in the dynamic domain of international relations where theories are trying to stand the test of time, IBIS is a tender concept which needs continuous deliberations to acquire a concrete structure and achieve its goals to restore peace and cooperation retaining the essence of development in the competitive world where nation states are in continuous motion to manifest their national interest in its truest sense.
REFERENCES-
“INDIA- SOUTH AFRICA RELATIONS HISTORICAL BACKGROUND”, MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, 2021. RETTRIEVED FROM
https://www.mea.gov.in/india_southafricarelations.pdf. RETRIEVED ON 19.09.2022
“BILATERAL RELATIONS- CONSULATE GENERAL OF INDIA JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA”, 2022. RETRIEVED FROM
https://cgijoburg.gov.in. RETRIEVED ON 19.09.2022
“INDIA SOUTH AFRICA RELATIONS: A PERENNIAL BOND”, ORF, 2019. RETRIEVED FROM www.orfonline.org. RETRIEVED ON 20.09.2022