Can India and Russia help Africa move beyond raw mineral exports?

Can India and Russia help Africa move beyond raw mineral exports?

As African states push for jobs and technology transfer, Moscow and New Delhi see an opening for a partnership beyond extraction
Despite producing large quantities of minerals and contributing significantly to global industrial development, Africa remains at the bottom of the mineral value chain. Most of its mineral resources are extracted and exported in crude form, depriving it of the chance to add value through processing, refining, or manufacturing.
However, Africa is increasingly asserting its agency over the development of its mineral resources, challenging these colonial-era practices as it seeks to move beyond extracting and exporting raw materials. Governments are seeking greater control over mineral value chains, insisting that foreign partnerships deliver technology transfer, local employment, and productive capacity rather than merely secure access to resources.
Recent policy decisions reflect this shift. In 2022, Zimbabwe prohibited raw lithium exports to encourage investment in domestic processing facilities. Namibia followed in 2023 by restricting exports of unprocessed lithium and other critical minerals. These measures reflect a broader recognition that mineral extraction alone cannot deliver the structural transformation many African economies seek.
The issue also featured prominently at the hosted by Moscow. African representatives emphasized the need for partnerships that would enable African countries to manufacture finished products rather than remain exporters of raw materials.
Russia, meanwhile, expressed interest in sharing technological capabilities and expertise with African partners. This shift creates opportunities for India and Russia to combine their respective strengths in mining, manufacturing, and technology to support Africa’s own industrial ambitions while expanding its strategic choices and bargaining power.
Combining Russian expertise with Indian capabilitiesRussia has considerable experience in mining, geological exploration, mineral processing, metallurgy, and developing large-scale industrial projects. Its capabilities in geological data interpretation, mineral beneficiation, smelting, and refining could be particularly relevant to African countries seeking to develop domestic processing facilities.
Russian technical institutions and mining companies could contribute to exploration, feasibility studies, mine development, processing technologies, and specialized personnel training.
India could complement this contribution through its industrial manufacturing base, engineering expertise, information technology, and growing investments in Africa. Indian companies already operate across several African economies in mining, metals, manufacturing, and infrastructure. India’s experience in developing cost-effective industrial technologies could support modernizing mining operations and associated industrial ecosystems.
Digital technologies offer another area of convergence. Geological mapping, remote sensing, AI-assisted mineral exploration, automated mining operations, and digital supply-chain management could improve productivity and resource management. Indian technology companies could contribute to these systems, while Russian expertise in geological sciences and mining engineering could provide the technical foundation for their application.
The two countries could also cooperate to establish training institutions, technical partnerships, and vocational programs. African universities and technical institutions could work with Indian and Russian counterparts to develop specialized courses in mining engineering, metallurgy, mineral processing, automation, and environmental management. This would help address the shortage of skilled personnel that often constrains the development of domestic processing industries.
Moving towards joint industrial venturesThe biggest opportunity lies in moving beyond conventional mining contracts to joint ventures that integrate exploration, ex