South-South Relations: India and South Africa

What the paper says

India and South Africa use South-South cooperation to protect and promote their national interest. Their relations are based on both idealism and realism and are dependent on the conditions and the issues involved. Both countries value human rights, expanding participatory democracy, and non-intervention in other countries’ internal affairs. From the Indian classics to the present, India has used realism with Indian characteristics. Its objective in the Non-Aligned Movement focuses on the need to make independent decisions in order to have a more equitable international order. India’s domestic success depends on how it addresses international challenges. These ideals have been noticed in the various administrations in India from Nehru to Modi. As middle power states, both India and South Africa use soft power in their attempts to transform international organizations and the Western-dominated world system. South-South relations between the two countries focus on increased commercial relations, exchange of technology, defense, maritime agreements as well as cultural exchanges and people to people interactions. But despite their strong relations, India is not among post-apartheid South Africa’s top ten trading partners. It remains to be seen how South-South relations between India and South Africa will develop in the new and constantly evolving global order.