Diplomatist Special Report - Tanzania Tanzania 2018 | Page 13

&A
Mutual cooperation between Tanzania and
India
nd has been consistently reinforced through
various international cooperations such as the
var
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and other various
initiatives under South-South Cooperation. How do
you see this cooperation shaping up in the future,
given the already existing strong ties India has with
Tanzania?
The relationship between Tanzania and India is
a rewarding and enriching one. The same has been
defi ned by historical, political, economic, military and,
more so, by cultural connections. Apart from sharing
part of the Indian Ocean, the trade, technological as
well as professional ties between the two countries
have cemented this relationship and, as rightly put,
have continued to give shape to existing strong ties
existing strong ties. India’s involvement with Tanzania
can be explained not only by the large presence of
an Indian Diaspora in Tanzania, but also by a large
number of Tanzanians of Indian origin living in the
country as well as those with Tanzanian nationality
residing in places like Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
The fi rst Indians arrived in Tanzania more than 90
years ago, shortly after WW1 when the League of
Nations designated the then Tanganyika Territory as a
Protectorate under the British control. At independence
in 1961, a large number of Indians remained in the
country and, today, they occupy an important place
in the country’s economy. The available data shows
that, at present, there are over 50,000 Tanzanians of
Indian origin in Tanzania and an expatriate community
of an additional 10000 Indians, mostly professionals
who live and work in commerce, industries, and
services. It can be stated that since its independence,
India has maintained friendly and cordial relations
with Tanzania. Like Tanzania, India was a staunch
supporter of the nonviolent decolonization struggle
in countries of Africa and Asia, and played a key
role in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Overall,
the various initiatives of South-South Cooperation
pioneered by India have shaped up our relations with
this great country.
In 2008, India decided to embark on the path of
Summit Diplomacy in engaging more with Africa.
The First India-Africa Summit was held in New
Delhi in the same year and was a momentous stride
in strengthening the partnership at the Summit. India
pledged a sum of USD 5.4 billion for new Lines of
Credit (LoCs) to Africa, of which Tanzania has been
one of the major benefi ciaries. Most of the funds from
LoCs have been directed to social amenities projects
in Tanzania such as water supply, education, ICT
development as well as infrastructure development.
The outcomes have been quite remarkable. The stage
for further collaboration between India and Africa was
again enhanced at the Second India-Africa Summit
held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 2011, while the Third
India-Africa Summit was held in New Delhi in October
2015 during which Prime Minister Narendra Modi
announced credit lines of USD 10 billion. The monies
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