The 9th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave on India-Africa Project Partnership, the largest ever India-Africa business meet, begins in New Delhi March 17.

Industry leaders and officials from 41 African countries would congregate in a bid to take the bilateral engagement between India and Africa to a new level.

The event will discuss 475 projects worth $64 billion, the Confederation of Indian Industry announced.

A total of 630 overseas delegates, including 39 MPs, would participate. Cameroon will be the guest country and Ethiopia the focus country.

Commerce Minister Anand Sharma will deliver the opening address.

Radhika Lokesh, joint secretary in the external affairs ministry, said: "This India-Africa forum has given a contemporary connotation to an old relationship."

A CII official said most projects to be discussed deal with the infrastructure sector.

India's trade with Africa have grown from $4.6 billion in 2000, before the conclaves began, to $60 billion in 2011-12.