President Samia: India is a reliable ally

President Samia Suluhu Hassan cited India's emergence to become one of the world's powerhouses, its potential for economic growth, and other factors as the main reasons why Tanzania views India as a reliable ally.

The country and the rest of Africa, according to President Hassan, have a lot of faith in India to advance the interests of the continent.

She said that India's actions have demonstrated its justification for the confidence, which includes its support of the African Union's (AU) entry as a permanent member of the G-20. President Hassan highlighted that during the second day of her state visit to India, which started on October 8 and ended on October 11, 2023.

"We trust India's leadership not because of its sheer size and economy, but because of its historical contribution and moral standing. India has remained truthful and loyal to the cause of the Global South and the developing countries in general," she said.

President Hassan said the country's decision to open the first overseas campus of the India Institute of Technology in Zanzibar is also a demonstration of its desire to export its success in skills development and technologies to Africa.

Other areas of cooperation, she said, include the fight against piracy in the Indian Ocean, the regulation and conservation of shared marine resources (through the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission-OTC), and standing up against unfair trade propositions in the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

India's commitment to supporting the green transition will be another area of convergence for the Indo-Africa partnership.

"India being the world's fifth largest producer of solar power and the world's second cheapest solar power, it stands a chance to impact Africa positively in terms of green energy transition," asserted President Hassan.

The President also stated that there is no excuse why India is not yet Tanzania's number one trade partner and investment source.

India is Tanzania's 4th largest trading partner, with trading volume over the past five years surging from $2.6 billion in 2017/2018 to $6.5 billion by the end of 2022/2023. The country is also a top-five investment source for Tanzania, with 631 investment projects worth $3.7 billion.

She revealed that these economic discussions were among the key issues she talked about with Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as both leaders decided to announce the start of a strategic partnership.

"To give a strong emphasis to our resolve, we have decided to elevate our relationship into a new strategic partnership anchored in four pillars: maritime security, defense cooperation, development cooperation, and trade and investment," she said. Continue reading The Citizen