India, Tanzania elevate ties to Strategic Partnership, to enhance cooperation in Indian Ocean region

New Delhi [India], October 9 (ANI): Aiming to strengthen bilateral relations and expand cooperation, India and Tanzania elevated their ties to the level of ‘Strategic Partnership’, following the bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

Acknowledging that India and Tanzania are maritime neighbours who face common maritime security challenges, the two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in maritime security in the Indian Ocean region.

“With a view to further strengthen the bilateral relations and expanding cooperation across various sectors, the two leaders announced the elevation of Indo-Tanzania relationship to the level of ‘Strategic Partnership’. Both sides noted that the strategic partnership will help the two countries to jointly work on issues like Maritime Security, Defence Cooperation, Development Partnership, Trade and Investment among others,” the India-Tanzania joint statement read.

The two sides noted an increasing level of bilateral political engagement and strategic dialogue on regional and global issues including the vision for the Indo-Pacific and implementation of the Indian Ocean Rim Association’s Outlook on the lndo-Pacific region.

“It was noted that India and Tanzania are maritime neighbours with a long history of trade and people to people linkages therefore Tanzania has an important place in India’s vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for all in the Region). Both sides encouraged cooperation on the Indo-Pacific noting that the AU vision for peace and security in Africa with focus on development of Blue/ocean economy for accelerated economic growth coincides with SAGAR vision,” the joint statement added.

Citing the successful hosting of the Defence Expos twice in Dar es Salaam in 2022 and 2023, India and Tanzania expressed interest in expanding cooperation in the area of Defence industry.

They also expressed satisfaction over the first-ever India-Tanzania Joint Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) surveillance exercise conducted in July 2023 when the Indian Naval Ship Trishul visited Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam. They also noted that India and Tanzania held bilateral maritime exercise in October 2022 during the visit of the Indian Naval Ship Tarkash.

“The Tanzanian side appreciated the hydrographic surveys of Tanzanian major ports done by India in recent years. Thus, the two sides agreed to continue cooperation in this area. Both leaders looked forward to increased interoperability between their Armed Forces. They noted the regular port calls by the Indian ships to Tanzanian ports and appreciated the conduct of the maiden trilateral maritime exercise involving India, Tanzania and Mozambique in the Mozambique Channel during the visit of the Indian Naval Ship Tarkash in October 2022,” the statement added.

PM Modi and President Hassan also affirmed the significance of establishing the first overseas campus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras in Zanzibar.

The two leaders agreed that IIT in Zanzibar has the potential to become the premier centre for technical education in the African continent. They noted that classes for the first batch are scheduled to begin this month. Tanzanian side appreciated India’s commitment in this regard and assured of its full support to the growth and sustainability of IIT in Zanzibar.

The Indian side also congratulated Tanzania for successfully hosting two major Summits, namely, the African Human Capital Heads of State summit and the Africa Food Systems Summit in July and September 2023, respectively.

New Delhi also thanked Dodoma for its support in increasing interaction with the East African Community (EAC).

India and Tanzania agreed on the need for reform of the United Nations Security Council through expansion in both categories of membership.

“The Tanzanian side congratulated India on a successful G20 Presidency and the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration adopted at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in September 2023, in which the G20 Leaders welcomed the African Union (AU) as the permanent member of the G20. Indian side appreciated Tanzania’s support to India’s G20 Presidency and its participation in the Voice of Global South Summit in January 2023. The Tanzanian side noted that AU’s entry into the G20 presented a major step in the amplification of Africa’s voice in the premier global forum for multilateral economic cooperation, and that Africa would positively gain from this inclusion,” the statement read.

The Indian side welcomed Tanzania’s decision to join the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) and the Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA) and looked forward to Tanzania’s membership of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).

“PM Modi and PM Hassan strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, whenever, wherever, and by whom-so-ever committed and the use of terrorist proxies for cross-border terrorism. They agreed that terrorism is one of the most serious threats to global peace, security and stability and must seriously be addressed,” the joint statement added.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi held a bilateral meeting with the Tanzanian President Hassan at Hyderabad House in the national capital.

She was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhawan and participated in the wreath-laying ceremony at Rajghat.

Tanzanian President who is in India on the invitation of President Drapupadi Murumu was received by the Union Minister of State for Education Annapurna Devi at the Delhi airport on Sunday.