New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will host the Defence Ministers of African Nations during the India-Africa Defence Dialogue (IADD) on October 18, 2022 on the sidelines of the 12th DefExpo in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

The broad theme of the dialogue is ‘India-Africa: Adopting Strategy for Synergising and Strengthening Defence and Security Cooperation’, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement on Sunday.

“India and Africa share close and historical ties. India’s approach towards Africa is guided by the Kampala Principles enunciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018,” it said.

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India’s engagement rests on African priorities as outlined by Africans themselves.

The first-ever India-Africa Defence Ministers Conclave was held in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh in conjunction with DefExpo on February 06, 2020. A Joint Declaration – ‘Lucknow Declaration’ – was adopted at the end of the conclave as an outcome document.

In continuance of the ‘Lucknow Declaration’ and in consultation with stakeholders, IAAD has been institutionalised to be held once every two years on the sidelines of DefExpo, the statement said.

The IADD will explore new areas of convergence for mutual engagement, including in areas like capacity building, training, cyber security, maritime security and counter terrorism.

As per defence ministry, Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA) is the knowledge partner for the India-Africa Defence Dialogue.

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About 12th DefExpo

The 12th edition of DefExpo is scheduled to be held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat between October 18-22, 2022 in a first ever four-venue format which promises to engage the public and inspire them to join the Aerospace and Defence manufacturing sector; for ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in Defence, a defence ministry release read.

The exhibition will also host the 2nd edition of the India-Africa Defence Dialogue (IADD), with invites extended to 53 African countries. A separate Indian Ocean Region plus (IOR+) conclave with the participation of approximately 40 countries is also on the anvil, it added.

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