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 India |  Senegal |
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India–Senegal relations are bilateraldiplomatic relations betweenIndia andSenegal. India maintains anembassy inDakar and Senegal inNew Delhi. Although people to people contacts have been limited, the two countries enjoy warm relations and in recent years trade and investment have been increasing steadily.[1]
India and Senegal have had close and cordial relations since the latter gained its independence fromFrance in 1960. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established at the ambassadorial level with the establishment of a residentIndian mission in Dakar in 1962. The two countries share common values of democracy, development and secularism and have been supportive of each other on international fora. Senegal has been supportive of India's quest for membership in theOrganisation of Islamic Cooperation and the two countries initiated theTeam-9 project that also involves seven other west andcentral African countries.[2]
Unlikeeastern orsouthern Africa that have large populations of Indians andPersons of Indian Origin, the Indian community in Senegal is tiny amounting to only some 300 individuals who run businesses or are involved in the execution of projects being undertaken underlines of credit provided by India.[3] However, Senegal is often described as the mostIndophile ofWest African nations and it has been influenced by a range of Indian cultural institutions ranging fromHindi cinema to the concept ofcaste and outcastes.[4][5] There are dozens of Indo-Senegalese friendship societies and film clubs andIndian music andcuisine are popular in Senegal as areBollywood movies and dance and Indian television serials likeVaidehi.[6][7] The Senegalese singerAkon, who sings in Hindi, became a sensation in India for his rendition ofChammak Challo in the Bollywood movieRa.One.[5]
Trade between India and Senegal amounted to $425 million in 2009–10 with India enjoying a small surplus in thebalance of trade. Trade doubled in 5 years from 2002 to 2003, when it is stood at $222 million.Phosphates andiron scrap constitute the bulk of Indian imports from Senegal while its exports consist oftextiles,automobiles,pharmaceuticals and food items.[3] India is among Senegal's top trade partners.[8]Senegal importsrolling stock forits railways from India. BothIndian Railways andRITES have been involved in providing a range of services to the Senegal Railways including providingconsultancy services, conductingfeasibility studies and providing rolling stock includingdiesel multiple units,engines and railway compartments.[9][10][11][12][13] The two countries entered into a Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement in 2005 and aDouble Taxation Avoidance Agreement in 2007.[14][15]
In 2003, theGovernment of India provided a line of credit worth $2 billion to a group of 9 West African nations, including Senegal, called Team-9. Senegal revamped its urban public transportation system through an Indo-Senegalese joint venture that assembledTata buses in the Senegalese town ofThies.[16] India's decision to allow duty-free imports fromLeast Developed Countries has benefitted Senegal[17] and India'sExim Bank provided the country with a $28 million line of credit to help it access consultancy services and equipment for undertaking a rural electrification programme.[18]
Senegal has welcomed Indian investments in that country in a range of sectors including textiles,[19] chemicals and manufacturing.[20] In 2006Arcelor-Mittal entered into an agreement with theGovernment of Senegal for the production ofiron ore in south eastern Senegal through investments amounting to $2 billion. Since Senegalese law requires Asian companies that are awarded infrastructure contracts to partner with Senegalese companies, joint ventures with Indian companies have been an important means of transferring technological know how and training to Senegal.[16] Senegal's largest industrial complex, the Industries Chimiques du Senegal (ICS), is a joint venture between Senegal and India involving the Indian fertiliser majorIFFCO and it exports much of its phosphate output to India.[21] IFFCO in 2007 undertook a $100 million project to revive the 6.6 lakh tonne capacityphosphoric acid plant of the Industries Chimiques de Senegal to raise its production to optimum levels.[22]
India provides scholarships for training Senegalese personnel under itsIndian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme. Senegal is also part of India'sPan-African e-Network project that allows it to tap Indian expertise throughtelemedicine and teleeducation. A hub earth station of the network is located in the Sebikotane village of Senegal.[3] Senegal, once the largest importer of rice in Africa, sought technological support from India for increasing its rice production in 2008.[23] In 2011, speaking at theAfrica-India Forum Summit atAddis Ababa in 2011,Senegal's PresidentAbdoulaye Wade noted that India's assistance had helped his country "in increasing rice production so dramatically that it has gone from being an importer to an exporter in a matter of four years".[24]
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