Indian PM in Kenya on last leg of 4-nation African tour

Following the successful implementation of a water supply project in Dar-es-Salaam, Modi said India was working on more such projects in Zanzibar and 17 other cities.

Dar-es-Salaam: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today held talks with Tanzanian President John Pombe Joseph Magufuli on a wide range of issues aimed at boosting ties in the African continent, particularly in the economic sphere.

“President Magufuli has a vision for nation building, development and industrialization – a vision that is my dream for India too”, he said.

Assuring that India will always work to strengthen its ties with Kenya, the Prime Minister said he looked forward to the two countries collaborating in the exploitation of their maritime resources. “Closer cooperation in the field of maritime security occupies an important place in our defence and security engagement”, Modi said. He had earlier visited the island nations of Mauritius and Seychelles.

Modi said his government was ready to offer additional financing for other water projects in east Africa’s second-biggest economy.

The Kenyan leader urged India to open its market to Kenyan goods and also support value addition, noting that Indian companies could access unexploited opportunities in Kenya through partnership with Kenyan companies, public-private partnership or on their own.

He said the world was facing two critical issues – global warming and terrorism.

The two leaders recognised the growth in vibrancy of people-level relations between the two countries that were encouraged by the introduction of e-tourist visas to Tanzania past year and the subsequent removal of visa fees for Tanzanian business travellers to India since December 2015. “In this context, active processes are underway to facilitate and implement plans on expanded trade and investment flows and to identify and address barriers to trade and investment”, Zuma said.

Modi started his five-day Africa tour with a visit to Mozambique.

Amid the expanding footprint of the Islamic State across the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned on Monday that “preachers of hate and violence” are threatening the fabric of the society.

Prime Minister Modi affirmed India’s continued readiness to extend further support towards development objectives of the government of Tanzania in line with its development vision, the joint statement said. It is home to the largest population of Indian origin in South Africa, said PM Modi.

The Prime Minister of India extended an invitation to President Kenyatta to visit India, which he accepted, said the communique. “We are keen in exploiting ties in sports also – India in terms of cricket, Kenya in terms of athletics”, Kenyatta said.