India is deepening its strategic footprint in the Horn of Africa, combining security, trade and investment strategies. Somaliland is emerging as a key focus in India’s evolving geo-economic ambitions
India is recalibrating its role in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea basin, shifting from a limited security presence to a broader, more assertive strategy that blends maritime security, economic investment and geopolitical competition — with Somaliland increasingly part of that evolving calculus.
For decades, India’s engagement in the region was largely limited to United Nations peacekeeping missions and anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden. But that posture has shifted significantly over the past decade, Federico Donelli, Chiara Boldrini and Riccardo Gasco argue in their latest analysis published in The Conversation.
“India’s quiet advance is now visible,” the authors write, noting that New Delhi has moved to redefine the Indian Ocean as “a protective buffer and a primary theatre of influence linking the Indo-Pacific to the Red Sea.”
This transformation accelerated after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office in 2014, ushering in a more proactive foreign policy centered on maritime security, trade corridors and strategic partnerships across Africa and West Asia.
A strategic pivot toward the Horn
The Horn of Africa now sits at the center of India’s expanding ambitions. As global shipping routes face disruption and geopolitical alignments shift, New Delhi is positioning itself as what it calls a “net security provider” in the Indian Ocean.
The region’s importance is both geographic and economic. It borders some of the world’s busiest maritime corridors while offering access to emerging markets and untapped resources.
“Economic interdependence is growing alongside geostrategic interests,” the authors note, pointing out that India has become one of Africa’s largest trading partners.
India’s initiatives include security cooperation, infrastructure investment, humanitarian assistance and development projects in countries such as Somalia, Kenya and Djibouti. These efforts are framed within a broader narrative: offering partnership without the debt burdens or political conditionality often associated with rival powers.
Somaliland enters India’s geo-economic horizon
A notable evolution in India’s approach is the growing attention to Somaliland, particularly in the context of resource extraction and supply chains.
“India’s interest in Somalia and Somaliland has taken on a geo-economic dimension,” the authors write, highlighting Indian firms’ focus on gold and mineral resources in eastern Somaliland.
Although still limited, this engagement signals a shift. India’s presence in the Horn is no longer confined to security and development — it is increasingly tied to long-term economic interests.
This places Somaliland within a wider competitive landscape where external actors are vying for influence through ports, infrastructure and access to strategic resources.
A crowded geopolitical arena
India’s ambitions unfold in a region already saturated with global and regional powers. The Red Sea and western Indian Ocean corridor has become a focal point for military bases, port diplomacy and strategic rivalries.
Countries such as China, the United States, Turkey, Iran and Gulf states have established deep footholds through security agreements, investments and political partnerships.
“The result is a dense environment,” the authors observe. “Almost every external actor offers a package of security, finance, technology and diplomacy.”
For India, this means competing not just on presence, but on delivery.
The test of execution
The authors argue that India’s strategy will succeed only if it can translate ambition into consistent results.
“If India’s Africa policy is maritime-led, then naval exercises, information-sharing and coast guard cooperation must become regular and visible,” they write. At the same time, development efforts must produce tangible outcomes in sectors such as digital infrastructure, agriculture and healthcare.
Three major constraints remain:
- Limited military capacity compared with larger powers
- Intense competition from established actors
- The need for institutional continuity beyond high-level diplomacy
“Durable influence requires bureaucratic routines and financing mechanisms,” the authors note, warning that without them, India’s engagement risks remaining episodic.
From presence to permanence
The Horn of Africa, the authors conclude, is not an empty stage waiting for new powers. It is a complex arena where influence is earned through sustained commitment.
For India, the transition from “quiet influence to lasting power” will depend on whether it can deliver on its promises — and maintain its presence over time.
As this strategy unfolds, Somaliland’s emerging role in resource development and regional connectivity suggests it could become an increasingly significant piece of India’s long-term calculations in the Horn.
