Calling India and Africa natural partners, President Ram Nath Kovind has said that in the last five years there has been an "unprecedented transformation" of India's political engagement with the resource-rich continent.
Addressing the National Assembly of the Gambia, President Kovind on Wednesday said that in the last five years, Indian leadership has visited 30 African countries at the level of President, Vice President and Prime Minister.
"There has, indeed, been an unprecedented transformation of our political engagement with Africa," said the President, who arrived here on Tuesday on the second leg of his three-nation tour.
Before the Gambia, President Kovind visited Benin and would be travelling to the Republic of Guinea. It is the first-ever state visit to these West African countries by an Indian President.
India does not have its embassy these countries. However, the country has decided to open 18 new embassies in Africa, seven of them in West Africa.
"India and Africa are natural partners. In this embrace, we have been guided by our deep historical connect and solidarity. We were honoured to receive 41 Heads of State and Governments at the third India-Africa Forum Summit held in India in 2015. We were equally privileged to host, and for the first time, the African Development Bank Annual Meeting in India in 2017," he said.
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Underlining that India and Africa share the same development challenges and are both driven by similar imperatives, Kovind said, Africa's economic projection and India's growth can complement each other.
"Our trade and investment relations are growing. Our bilateral trade stood at over USD 62 billion for 2017-18. India has become the fifth largest investor in Africa with cumulative investments at over USD 54 billion. The African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement launched this month will make Africa the largest free trade area in the world.
India views this development as yet another opportunity to boost economic ties with Africa, he said