"I am here on IT mission, India-Tanzania mission": Jaishankar to Indian community in Dar es Salaam

Dar es Salaam [Tanzania], July 7 : External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday stressed the importance of Mission IT (India and Tanzania) while interacting with the members of the Indian community here, saying that he was in the country on an "IT mission, as in India-Tanzania mission."

Jaishankar had a "lively interaction" with members of the Indian community in Dar es Salaam during his four-day official visit to Tanzania.

He arrived in Dar es Salaam on Thursday, saying that he looked forward to his discussions with the Tanzanian leadership.

Sharing the purpose of his visit, the EAM said, "That IT (India-Tanzania) mission addresses some of the most important priorities of this country today."

Apart from the 'Mission IT', during his interaction with the Indian community, EAM Jaishankar also highlighted the strong India-Africa connection, especially the deep links that New Delhi shares with East Africa.

"We have a strong relationship with Africa. It is something which partly comes out of our shared struggle for freedom during the colonial period but within that we have a particularly close connection with East Africa. And again, within that I think some parts of India are particularly closely linked," he said.

He also noted that at the heart of India-Tanzania ties is the solidarity of spirit and mutuality of interests.

"All of you, as members of the Indian community living in Tanzania, working in Tanzania, visiting Tanzania, I think you can hold your head high that our friendship, our relationship, our partnership today will make a difference to the everyday life of a Tanzanian," Jaishankar said.

Weighing in on India's relationship with Africa, East Africa and Tanzania in particular, Jaishankar said, "The heart of this relationship is actually a certain solidarity of spirit, of outlook that we have had for many, many years. But over the years it is expressed in different forums. We have Global South. Today we are developing countries who have tried to work together for a fairer global order."

The EAM added that the Indian community is an expression, contributor and force of this relationship between the two countries.

Explaining how the India-Tanzania friendship is making a difference to the lives of the average Tanzanian, Jaishnakar said India's water projects in African countries will benefit 8 million.

"I went to a place called Kidutani in Zanzibar, where there is a water project. And this water project, when...it is completed, will give provide drinking water to eight million people in Zanzibar," the External Affairs Minister told the members of the Indian community.

The EAM added that with 750 slots annually, Tanzania is India's largest African partner in training and capacity building. "As I look across Africa, the largest capacity building and exchange program we have with any country in Africa is actually with Tanzania," he said, adding, "This year, we are giving to the Tanzanian government for their usage, 450 scholarships under Itech program. This is our traditional exchange program, 230 slots for defence training, and under the education exchanges, 70 scholarships," he said.

He also said that the Indian community had historically been a source of strength for the relationship between the two countries.

Earlier, in Tanzania, the EAM visited Stone Town in Zanzibar and experienced its distinctive Gujarat connection.

He also visited the Kiduthani project that will provide drinking water to 30,000 households in Zanzibar. The six projects India is involved in will give drinking water access to a million Zanzibaris.

The External Affairs Minister also attended a deck reception hosted onboard INS Trishul with Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwinyi.

In Tanzania, Jaishankar also witnessed the signing of the agreement on setting up of IIT Madras Zanzibar campus.

Jaishankar is on a four-day official visit to Tanzania, which will culminate on July 8.