New Delhi - External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, is set to embark on a four-day official visit to Tanzania starting Wednesday. The purpose of the visit is to engage in high-level discussions and co-chair the 10th Joint Commission Meeting with his Tanzanian counterpart, Stergomena Tax. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has stated that Jaishankar will meet top leaders of the country and attend a reception on the Indian Naval Ship Trishul during his tour. Furthermore, he is expected to inaugurate the statue of Swami Vivekananda and address the Indian diaspora.
During the initial two days of his trip, Jaishankar will travel to Zanzibar, where he will meet with prominent officials, visit a water supply project funded by an Indian government line of credit, and participate in a reception aboard the Indian Naval Ship Trishul, which is currently en route to Tanzania.
In Dar-es-Salaam, from July 7-8, Jaishankar will co-chair the 10th India-Tanzania Joint Commission Meeting with his counterpart and hold meetings with the country's top leadership, including several Cabinet ministers, as mentioned in the official release.
Additionally, he will meet with members of the Parliamentary Friendship Group for India, inaugurate an India-Tanzania business meeting, address the Indian diaspora, and unveil the statue of Swami Vivekananda in Dar es Salaam, according to the release.
Furthermore, it has been reported that the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) plans to establish an overseas campus in Zanzibar, Tanzania in October 2023. The campus, named IIT Madras at Zanzibar, aims to strengthen educational ties between the two nations. The new campus in Zanzibar will join existing IIT campuses in Abu Dhabi and Kuala Lumpur.
India and Tanzania have traditionally maintained close, friendly, and cooperative relations. The two countries recently held the second edition of the Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) meeting in Arusha, where they discussed enhancing security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Additionally, India and Tanzania enjoy a vibrant business and commercial relationship, with India being one of Tanzania's leading trade partners.