In a bid to expand its economic reach, India launched an initiative in 2004 called Techno-Economic Approach for Africa–India Movement (TEAM–9), together with eight energy- and resource-rich West African countries, including Ivory Coast, Senegal, Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Ghana, and Burkina Faso.

According to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, the initiative was part of a broader policy to engage the underdeveloped, yet resource-wealthy countries of West Africa, which required both low-cost technology and investment to develop their infrastructure.

In particular, India increasingly wants to play an important role in helping Ivory Coast and other West African countries channel their energy resources more efficiently.

[4] Ambassador Shamma Jain also states that there is also a growing demand for courses run by ITEC and SCAAP on information technology, rural credit, small- and medium-scale industries, women's entrepreneurship and quality control, which is creating a 'constituency of interest' in India.

India's Deputy Foreign Minister Sharma accompanied by Ambassador Shamma Jain and a high-level delegation discussed an entire gamut of issues during his visit to Ivory Coast with President Laurent Gbagbo that included the UN reforms, expansion of the UN Security Council and reshaping of the global financial infrastructure.

President Gbagbo reaffirmed his government's appreciation of India's leadership role, its economic strength, and above all, its willingness to share its expertise, technology and development experience with African countries.