In terms of business what does Africa look towards India for?
A lot of things. India, being a developing country, has made a lot interms of innovations. ICT Africa would want to learn from India in that aspect.
Are there any specific problems that inhibit Indo-Africa trade and how can they be overcome?
India must open its markets and lower some of its trade barriers that would help enhance trade between Zambia and India.
Why can’t we focus on areas that will actually impact the lives of Africans in a positive way?
The trade between the two nations basically focuses on the issue of trade interms of technology, agriculture skills development and capacity building. These things propel African economy to higher height and improve human development index.
Issues to do with agriculture, technology are more important than importing defence equipment at this particular time.
What sectors would Africa want India to focus on, taking into consideration that India has had success exporting pharma products and automobiles to Africa without making much impact in other traditional areas of strength like IT/ITES textiles?
Design its own development path. Africa must learn from other developing countries like India, and the partnership between India and Africa, Africa must not be a copycat taking everything that India is doing, but Africa will learn and use lessons learnt and develop their economy so to speak.
Don’t you think there could be a backlash arising from China’s increasing trade aggression in Africa (I refer to things like an influx of Chinese into Africa, or to dictators-which an increasingly vibrant civil society does not approve of?
With increased ICT investment and telecommunication infrastructure being built in Africa, many African governments now fear the Internet as a platform for contrary views.