How can forums like the IPU strengthen India's partnership with Africa? Illustrate with recent examples.

India takes part in the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) through the Indian Parliamentary Group (IPG) [2]. This gives India a parliament-to-parliament link with Africa. It reaches the law-makers who pass budgets and approve treaties, so it adds to the government's diplomacy rather than replacing it.

How IPU forums strengthen India–Africa ties

• Direct access to African legislatures: at the 153rd Assembly in Arusha (Oct 2026), India's delegation was led by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh. It met Tanzania's Speaker and Ministers, including the Foreign Minister [1].
• Working with African leaders: Tanzania's Tulia Ackson was elected IPU President at Luanda, Angola (2023) [3]. This shows Africa's weight in the IPU. Working closely with African members makes India's voice stronger.
• A say in IPU decisions: Aparajita Sarangi was elected to the IPU Executive Committee at Kigali, Rwanda (2022) [3]. This ended a gap of about 20 years. The seat lets India help shape decisions that also affect Africa.
• Sharing democratic experience: India briefed the Executive Committee on the Naari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam at Luanda [3]. It offers a model to parliaments working on women's representation.
• Shared Global South agenda: Indian MPs sit on the IPU Committee on Health and on the IPU's advisory group on countering terrorism (HLAG-CTVE) [1]. Both are shared concerns with African partners.
• UN channel: a 2025 UNGA resolution (153–1) asks UN country teams to involve national parliaments in development planning [4]. This gives India's development partnerships in Africa a parliamentary route.

Limitations

• Assemblies meet only twice a year [2], so contacts can go cold in between.
• MPs cannot commit India to anything. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha approves delegations, and invitations are handled in consultation with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) [2]. Results therefore depend on the government following up.

Way forward

• Link IPU meetings to the Parliamentary Friendship Groups set up with more than 60 countries [5]. This would keep contacts like those made in Arusha going between Assemblies.
• Keep the same MPs on the same IPU committees so they build expertise and become known.
• Add exchanges between parliaments to India's development projects in Africa.

Forums like the IPU give India–Africa ties a depth between institutions that summits alone cannot. Steady engagement, coordinated with the MEA and carried out through the IPG, friendship groups and UN channels, can make India a trusted Global South partner. This also supports SDG 16, which calls for effective and accountable institutions.