By Vaishali Basu Sharma
The Global South is experiencing a long-overdue resurgence in the international arena. Global forums are increasingly shifting focus toward the developing world, each with varying motivations and methods. Within this evolving landscape, two Asian giants—India and China—are taking distinct approaches to bridging the development divide in the Global South. Their strategies, particularly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, differ significantly in terms of inclusivity, transparency, and long-term partnership.
India’s engagement with the Global South has been rooted in principles of mutual respect, historical solidarity, and cooperation without imposing external models. Since gaining independence, New Delhi has emphasized South-South cooperation, focusing on developmental partnerships that prioritize local needs and empower nations, free of conditionality. A key demonstration of this commitment came during India’s 2023 G20 presidency, when it successfully lobbied for the inclusion of the African Union (AU) in the G20, amplifying Africa’s voice on the global stage.
Through initiatives like the International Solar Alliance and the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor, India has consistently demonstrated its commitment to sustainable development and inclusive growth. Programs such as the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) initiative and India’s leadership in multilateral platforms highlight its approach to capacity building, which emphasizes self-reliance over dependency.
China, on the other hand, has pursued a more top-down approach, particularly through its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). While China’s infrastructure investments in the Global South have been celebrated for accelerating development, they have also been criticized for lack of transparency, unequal partnerships, and concerns over debt sustainability. Critics often highlight Beijing’s “debt-trap diplomacy,” where countries struggle under the burden of unsustainable loans, losing economic sovereignty in the process.
In Africa alone, China has extended loans to over 32 nations, including Kenya, Zambia, and Angola. As a result, the continent’s debt to China stands at $93 billion, a figure expected to balloon to $153 billion. Moreover, Beijing’s focus on resource extraction has raised concerns that its developmental assistance is more about securing raw materials and expanding its geopolitical influence than truly benefiting local economies. China is now the largest bilateral creditor to African countries, often gaining access to natural resources as part of repayment deals.
In contrast, India’s development strategy is driven by partnerships rooted in mutual benefit. New Delhi’s focus has been on capacity building, people-centric development, and long-term growth rather than the transactional, resource-centric model often associated with China. India’s leadership has championed agendas like digital transformation, clean energy, gender equality, and sustainable infrastructure, as well as reforming international systems to better reflect the needs of the Global South.
Domestically, India’s economic policies reflect its global ambitions. Welfare schemes that aim to reduce inequalities and improve healthcare access support its international vision of inclusive development, setting an example for other developing nations to follow.
In conclusion, while both India and China are key players in the Global South, their strategies present stark contrasts. India’s inclusive and partnership-driven model seeks to empower nations and foster self-reliance, while China’s approach has often been criticized for promoting dependency and extracting resources. As the Global South continues to assert its influence, India’s vision of mutual benefit and sustainable growth offers a compelling alternative to China’s extractive strategy.
Source: capitalfm
