Media Review October 1, 2024

Somaliland is where India can counter China in east Africa

• Publications
• 01 Oct, 2024

India should develop closer relations with Somaliland, especially by using its port. This could provide India a

valuable tool for countering China’s influence along the eastern coast of Africa. In looking for access to the Red Sea, India should avoid overcrowded Djibouti and opt for Somaliland’s port of Berbera.

Berbera handles 1/10 as much traffic as Djibouti’s port, but it is growing, thanks to investment by Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which are new members of the BRICS grouping and key partners for India. India has frequently deployed anti-piracy patrol boats and warships to the Gulf of Aden, north of Somaliland, to maintain stability in the region. As India strives to gain more influence, Somaliland itself could become India’s strategic lynchpin. The Strategist.