The India-Africa partnership is rooted in their shared historical experience. India has played a major role in the fight against apartheid and colonisation. The success of the decolonisation process increased the number of sovereign African countries from four in 1945 to 54 as of now. Today, the African continent constitutes the single largest electoral group in the UN General Assembly. India has also contributed to peace and security in Africa through its participation in every major UN Peacekeeping Operation in the continent. This has often come at the cost of Indian lives.