India, with a growing economy and an energy-guzzler, has found that Africa is the only place left to go as most of the world’s other big oil reserves are already being developed by major western energy firms.

India feels that though its trade with African nations is witnessing tremendous growth, it is yet to achieve its true potential. So, apart from crude oil, India is interested in importing gold, coal, coke and briquettes, inorganic chemicals, metallic ores, metal scraps, pearls, precious and semi-precious stones, fertilisers and marbles.

Africa is also a growing market for Indian goods, just like Chinese ones, and India is particularly sought after for the clothes (cotton yarn and handloom), drugs and pharmaceuticals, machines and instruments and agro-chemicals.

To boost this economic and commercial partnership with Africa, India’s one of the deputy foreign ministers, Anand Sharma was sent by the government to attend the African Union on January 29, where he met the heads of states and foreign ministers of several African countries and extended invitation, on behalf of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Before the Summit of the heads of states on April 8 this year, senior officials of the governments will be meeting on April 4 and the Foreign ministers meeting will take place on April 7.