SOUTH AFRICA AND INDIA FACE WIDENING GAP BETWEEN POLITICAL ALIGNMENT AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION
The diplomatic partnership between South Africa and India rests on substantial common ground: shared histories, convergent interests on climate and energy policy, coordinated positions on behalf of the Global South, and collaborative medical diplomacy spanning the HIV/AIDS response through COVID-19. Yet this political alignment masks a paradox that increasingly shapes the relationship. Although the two countries often vote together on international matters and champion similar reform agendas at the World Trade Organization, the economic and commercial dimensions of their partnership remain markedly underdeveloped, leaving significant potential unrealized.
As the global order becomes more contested and multipolar, both nations are reassessing their strategic positions and seeking greater agency for the Global South while managing relationships with competing powers. In this context, the South Africa-India partnership is acquiring renewed importance, though its trajectory remains uncertain. The relationship extends beyond the familiar shorthand of BRICS membership and cricket ties. Sport, particularly cricket, does provide an unusual but consequential channel for people-to-people connection, yet the deeper question facing policymakers is whether strong political alignment can be translated into more substantive and consequential cooperation.
Dr Prabhat Upadhyaya, Senior Adviser for Africa-India Cooperation at the African Climate Foundation, has been examining precisely this question. His work bridges diplomacy, research and advocacy on climate and energy policy, informed by nearly two decades of experience at the intersection of these fields. During South Africa’s G20 Presidency in 2025, Upadhyaya led the African Climate Foundation’s engagement strategy, supporting both the South African government and organizations including SAIIA. His background includes senior roles in India’s G20 Secretariat during its 2023 presidency, research positions at Indian think tanks including the Centre for Policy Research and the Energy and Resources Institute, and extended work with WWF South Africa on climate matters.
An upcoming discussion hosted by SAIIA will explore how the South Africa-India relationship has developed over time, what mechanisms sustain their enduring partnership, and what directions it might take in coming years. The conversation will move beyond conventional framings to ask whether this important South-South partnership can deepen its practical cooperation amid shifting geopolitical circumstances. More specifically, it will examine what closer cooperation could realistically mean given changing global, economic and climate dynamics. Event details are available at https://saiia.org.za/event/beyond-brics-bats-south-africa-india-relations-changing-world-order/
The stakes are real. Both countries face pressure to demonstrate that their political solidarity translates into tangible benefits for their populations and economies. The relationship has proven durable in diplomatic forums and multilateral institutions. By contrast, deeper commercial and development partnerships have not followed. Understanding where this partnership might go next requires examining not only the shared interests that have sustained it, but also the structural barriers and opportunities that will shape its future trajectory in an increasingly multipolar world.