East-South Globalisation and Africa-India Migrations: Developing a New Research Agenda

This chapter examines the ways in which the contemporary economic and political relationships between the continent of Africa and India tied to the East-South centred globalisation have transformed migration trends across these geographies. Following a similar trajectory as China, India has actively sought to build up trade and business linkages with numerous African countries since 2002 using strategies such as the India-Africa Summits. These reconfigured relationships have forged the broad and generative conditions for the deepening of short- and long-term migrations across India and various African countries. Preferential visa regimes are key components of these latest transnational and transregional arrangements. Using available statistics, our analysis underscores the growth and diversification of migratory flows between India and the African continent. Based on a critical assessment of studies on these migrations, we additionally identify existing gaps and offer important directions for future research endeavours. The continuities and discontinuities between the old and new migrations are briefly examined.