India–Africa Forum Summit (IAFS)
- Context : The fourth edition of the India–Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) is set to be held in India in late May 2026.
About the India–Africa Forum Summit (IAFS)
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- The IAFS is the official institutional platform for India-Africa relations. It serves as a high-level consultative mechanism between the Government of India and the member states of the African Union (AU) to promote South-South cooperation.
- It was first held in New Delhi in 2008, followed by summits in Addis Ababa in 2011 and New Delhi in 2015.
- India is set to host the 4th summit in 2026, after a gap of over a decade.
- The summit aims to deepen South-South cooperation and expand engagement beyond trade and Lines of Credit toward Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and industrial partnerships.
- It focuses on sectors such as health, education, human resource development, agriculture, ICT, and infrastructure.
- It supports initiatives like the IIT Madras campus in Zanzibar for capacity building.
- India is strengthening diplomatic ties by expanding its presence to 45 missions across Africa.
- It promotes cooperation in security, defense, and maritime stability.
- It helps align the positions of India and African nations on global issues such as trade, governance, and development.
- It plays a key role in ensuring resource security and stable supply chains during global disruptions.
- It reflects a shift from a donor-recipient model to a partnership-based, investment-driven relationship.
- The 2026 summit gains significant importance amid global supply chain uncertainties, highlighting Africa’s strategic significance.
Current Facts
- SMILE Scheme
- SMILE (Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise) scheme was launched in 2022.
- It is implemented by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
- It is India’s first integrated national framework that provides support ranging from identifying marginalized people to providing rehabilitation and building livelihoods.
- It includes services such as healthcare, counseling, education, skill development, and long-term economic independence.
- It includes a sub-scheme to identify individuals involved in begging, collect their details, and provide rehabilitation with their consent.
- The scheme also focuses on the empowerment, welfare, and social inclusion of transgender individuals.
