Dar es Salaam: Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh was on Thursday accorded a red carpet welcome on his arrival
in the Tanzanian capital for talks with the country`s top
leadership to upgrade bilateral ties.
Singh, who is the first Indian head of government to
visit Tanzania after 1997, was welcomed by President Jakaya
Kikwete at the airport.
The Prime Minister inspected a guard of honour. He was
welcomed by children waving Indian national tricolour. Singh
is accompanied by a high level delegation, including External
Affairs Minister S M Krishna and National Security Adviser,
Shivshankar Menon.
It is also the first head of government visit from a
non-African country after President Kikwete assumed the second
term following the general elections last year.
For India, Tanzania is an important partner in Africa.
Singh and Kikwete will hold wide ranging discussions
tomorrow to find ways for upgrading bilateral ties in a
comprehensive manner, a senior official said.
The bilateral trade was over USD 1.1 billion in 2010
and the imports covered a number of agricultural commodities.
India has become the second largest investor in Tanzania with
total cumulative investments of USD 1.3 billion till 2009.
There will also be focus on the two countries`
partnership in the development process of Tanzania through
education, capacity building and infrastructure development.
Tanzania is Prime Minister`s second leg of his six-day
visit to Africa. He arrived in Dar es Salam after co-chairing
the second Africa-India Forum Summit.
PTI
