It’s Africa time for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Energy, business, developmental assistance, Indian Ocean strategy and tourism promotion melded anew in a new configuration as the Indian leader held wide-ranging talks with Tanzania’s President Jakaya Mrisho Kikewete, the first head of state from the resurgent continent Mr Modi hosted since taking charge in May last year.
The outcomes of the talks in New Delhi, which included the signing of eight MoUs to expand engagements swaddling diverse areas, reflected the Modi government’s emerging Africa policy in a miniature. Expanding its developmental partnership with the East African state, India extended a line of credit for $ 268.35 million for a host of projects, including the extension of a pipeline project.
Reflecting the growing importance of the African continent in India’s energy security calculus, India offered its expertise to Tanzania in development of its emerging natural gas sector.
The Modi government’s emphasis on promoting people-to-people contacts was reflected in New Delhi’s decision to grant e-tourist visa to people of the African nation.
The strategic aspect of the India-African relationship has been underlined with Prime Minister Modi placing India’s relations with Tanzania in the context of an enhanced Indian Ocean strategy and the decision by the two countries to set up a joint working group to counter terrorism.
“We have a common interest in maritime security in the Indian Ocean and a peaceful and prosperous Africa. Terrorism in our respective regions is a concern for both countries,” Mr Modi said at a joint media interaction with the Tanzanian leader.
In an important move, India assured Tanzania of increased investment to address trade deficit in an otherwise robust economic relationship. Bilateral trade has exceeded $4 billion, with Indian investments in Tanzania exceeding $3 billion. Mr Modi exhorted President Kikwete “to open up more sectors for investments and exports” and assured that Indian investors are ready to invest more in Tanzania that would support Tanzania’s development and trade.
Tanzania, on its part, thanked India for its developmental assistance and reiterated support for India’s candidacy for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. Mr. Kikwete stressed that his country will continue to work with other African countries to back New Delhi’s candidature.
Mr Modi updated the Tanzanian leader on India’s preparations to host the third India-Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi from October 26-30. The IAFS-III promises to be a milestone as this is the first time New Delhi has invited leaders from all 54 African countries for the summit.
Mr Kikwete had earlier visited India in 2008 as the Chairperson of the African Union on the occasion of the first India-Africa Forum Summit.
The economic impulse has been predominant in India-Tanzania interactions that hark back centuries ago to the time when Indian traders from Gujarat sailed to Zanzibar for trade in spices and other commodities. The latest interaction shows that while the economic and energy imperatives will continue to drive India-Tanzania relations and the larger India-Africa relations, the strategic dimension is set to get greater salience as Mr Modi seeks to bind littoral African states into his larger plan for development of the Indian Ocean economy.
Knowledge partnership will continue to be a sturdy pillar of the evolving India-Tanzania relationship. India has set up India-Tanzania Centre for Excellence in Information and Communication Technology and the Pan African e-Network Project, which brings tele-medicine and tele-education to Tanzanians. The 50,000-strong Indian community forms an enduring bridge between the two countries.
The Prime Minister said ways to enhance cooperation in the maritime sector and ocean economy figured in the talks, noting that both the countries have a common interest in maritime security in the Indian Ocean region.
Author Profile
- Manish Chand is Founder-CEO and Editor-in-Chief of India Writes Network (www.indiawrites.org) and India and World, a pioneering magazine focused on international affairs. He is CEO/Director of TGII Media Private Limited, an India-based media, publishing, research and consultancy company.
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