Why Bridging the India–Africa Business Gap at the UK–Africa Summit Matters

LONDON – SEPTEMBER 2025 | Over 500 business leaders, policymakers, and investors will convene in London for the 15th UK–Africa Business, Trade & Investment Summit—an influential platform with a sharpened focus on East and Southern Africa. This year, India’s growing economic interest in Africa is coming into sharper focus, backed by strategic partners such as the India Overseas Trust, Uganda–UK Convention, UK Department for Business & Trade, and UK Export Finance (UKEF).

As one of Africa’s largest trading partners and a global hub for affordable technology and SME investment, India’s deeper participation at this summit is not only timely—it’s vital.

1. Strengthening India–East Africa Trade & Investment Ties

India remains a top trading partner for East Africa, with Uganda importing over US $1.26 billion in Indian goods in 2023, ranging from pharmaceuticals and petroleum to motorcycles. Meanwhile, Uganda’s exports to India totalled US $728 million, making India its fourth-largest trade partner. These figures underscore a solid foundation ready for scaling.

Beyond trade, Indian FDI into Uganda has reached over US $699 million since 2007 across 26 major projects in healthcare, construction, telecom, retail, and ICT—creating over 1,900 jobs. The Summit is an opportunity to build on this momentum and unlock new ventures in infrastructure, oil & gas, agri-tech, manufacturing, and digital innovation.

2. Catalysing South–South SME Growth via SITA and FCDO-Backed Models

The Supporting Indian Trade and Investment for Africa (SITA) initiative, supported by the UK’s FCDO, has been a breakthrough model for South–South cooperation. With US $69 million in additional East African exports and US $111 million in Indian SME investments through the programme, SITA has proven the power of targeted interventions that support women entrepreneurs, youth-led startups, and agri-processing hubs. The Summit is the ideal venue to expand this model into more sectors and regions.

3. Deal-Making with Bankable Projects and PPPs

This year’s Summit offers curated access to pre-vetted, bankable projects across infrastructure, renewable energy, digital transformation, and agri-tech. Backed by UK Export Finance, the platform provides Indian investors and SMEs a fast track into African markets with risk mitigation and regulatory clarity. Real deals—not just dialogue—are at the centre of the programme.

4. Leveraging Historical Ties and Diaspora Capital

India’s historical footprint in East Africa, coupled with a vibrant diaspora, offers a distinct advantage. Figures like Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia, who fled to the UK as a Ugandan Asian refugee and went on to become Uganda’s first billionaire, now lead efforts to build stronger commercial bridges. Diaspora communities offer cultural fluency, trust networks, and a shared development agenda that can reduce the cost of market entry and project implementation.

5. Advancing UK–Africa–India Strategic Synergies

The 15th UK–Africa Summit is more than a bilateral forum—it’s a tri-continental convergence. With UK institutions bringing financing muscle, African governments offering reform-minded policy agendas, and India contributing scalable tech and manufacturing capacity, this is a true platform for tripartite growth.

Key objectives include:

• Deepening UK–Africa economic relations, amplified by Indian capital and know-how
• Scaling PPPs in infrastructure, manufacturing, healthcare, and energy
• Boosting African exports into the UK, EU, and Indian markets
• Advancing sustainability, digitisation, and youth employment goals