Johannesburg: South Africa on Wednesday said it hopes the India-Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi will have a strong focus on trade and further strengthen relations with India.


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President Jacob Zuma will join heads and senior government officials of African states at the two-day Third India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-III).


Zuma is accompanied by Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation and a former High Commissioner to India.


"The relationship is also important as a positive illustration of the significance of South-South cooperation, which remains not only a core principle of South Africa's foreign policy, but a fundamental component of international co-operation for development," the South African government said in a statement.


"It is expected the meeting will have a strong focus on trade and will include elements relating to areas critical for Africa's development as enunciated in Agenda 2063 such as health, security, education and agricultural development," it said.


"The event will be further utilised to strengthen relations between South Africa and India, specifically in respect of India's position as a strategic partner, both at a bilateral level as well as within the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) and Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (BRICS); and Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) contexts," it said.