India, with its rich historical ties and emerging economic prowess, is expanding its strategic outreach, focusing significantly on Africa's eastern coastline. A key exemplification of this growing commitment is India's recent engagement with Tanzania, a nation of paramount strategic importance in East Africa.

This intensified interaction, marked notably by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's recent visit to Tanzania and the coinciding port call at Zanzibar by the Indian Naval Ship Trishul, holds profound implications for both nations and their broader geopolitical contexts.

The international system is in a constant state of flux, with a complex interplay of geopolitics, global economics, and cultural exchange shaping the trajectory of nations and their relations with one another. Africa, with its rich reservoir of natural resources and increasing strategic importance, has been drawing substantial attention from global powers. In this context, India's efforts to foster a deeper relationship with African nations represent a judicious endeavour to strengthen its global standing and contribute meaningfully to the collective narrative of the Global South.

India's engagement with Tanzania, in particular, is imbued with historical, cultural, economic, and geopolitical significance. It is a relationship rooted in shared colonial histories, post-independence solidarity, and common aspirations towards a just, inclusive, and sustainable global order. This deep-rooted connection is further buttressed by the shared Indian Ocean maritime geography, which provides both nations with a strategic pivot around which to advance their mutual interests.

India's approach to Africa has been that of an all-weather friend. The country has adopted a holistic approach to engaging with African nations, encompassing various domains such as trade, development cooperation, capacity building, security, and diplomacy. Its Africa policy, driven by shared interests and mutual respect, stands in stark contrast to the exploitative strategies employed by many colonial powers in the past.

Tanzania, with its strategic location on Africa's east coast and its significant role in regional politics, is a cornerstone of India's Africa policy. The country's deepwater ports in Dar es Salaam, Tanga, and Mtwara are not only critical to Tanzania's own economic development but also serve as key gateways to eastern, southern, and central Africa. They service six landlocked neighbouring countries, namely Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, and Malawi, further enhancing Tanzania's geopolitical significance.

The recent visit of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to Tanzania and the coinciding port call at Zanzibar by the Indian Naval Ship Trishul are momentous events that underscore the strategic depth of India-Tanzania relations. These developments echo India's profound ties with its maritime neighbours and signify its aspiration to amplify its voice in the Global South.

The Zanzibar Visit

Zanzibar, an archipelago renowned for its rich spice heritage, has long held cultural and historical significance for India. The recent visit by Jaishankar to this island, a few hours after the docking of INS Trishul, a Talwar-Class guided missile frigate of the Indian Navy, at the Zanzibar port, carries profound symbolic significance. It signifies the melding of past connections with contemporary strategic interests, reinforcing the depth of India's commitment to Tanzania and the broader African region.

INS Trishul's visit to Zanzibar is not an isolated event but forms part of a wider engagement with regional navies in India's neighbourhood. Prior to Zanzibar, the warship was in Seychelles, where an Indian naval contingent participated in the island nation's 47th National DayCelebrations. Such engagements serve to reinforce India's maritime security cooperation and its dedication to bolstering bilateral ties with these strategically important nations.

The SAGAR Commitment

India's maritime strategy, articulated through the SAGAR (Safety and Growth for All in the Region) initiative, underscores India's commitment to enhancing its maritime security while also bolstering the collective growth and security of its maritime neighbours. The presence of INS Trishul in Zanzibar, as emphasised by Jaishankar in his tweet, represents a concrete manifestation of this SAGAR commitment.

The deck reception onboard INS Trishul was attended by a host of dignitaries, including the President of Zanzibar, Hussein Ali Mwinyi, along with the Speaker, Ministers, MPs, senior officers from Tanzanian Defence Forces, and members of the Indian diaspora. This event underlined the multifaceted engagement between the two nations, straddling the high echelons of power to the ordinary people, reflective of the deep-rooted and wide-ranging connect that characterises India-Tanzania ties.

Building Bridges Through Education

India's engagement with Tanzania is not limited to the political or strategic domain; it also encompasses crucial sectors like education. This was evident during Jaishankar's visit, where the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the establishment of the first-ever Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) campus outside India was witnessed. This marked a significant milestone in the annals of India-Tanzania relations and demonstrated India's commitment to fostering people-to-people ties across Africa and the Global South.

The IIT campus in Tanzania is more than just an educational institution; it is a symbol of enduring friendship, shared aspirations, and a commitment to mutual growth and development. It represents India's belief in the power of education as a transformative tool, a bridge between cultures and nations, and a catalyst for societal advancement. In setting up an IIT campus in Tanzania, India is extending its globally recognised prowess in technical education to Africa, thus contributing tangibly to capacity building in the continent.

Strengthening Defence and Economic Cooperation

India and Tanzania share a deep and multifaceted defence relationship, encompassing a broad spectrum of areas, including training, capacity building, maritime cooperation, infrastructure development, and collaboration in defence equipment and technology. The two countries have already drawn up a five-year roadmap to guide their defence cooperation, reflecting their shared commitment to regional stability and mutual security.

During his visit, Jaishankar also discussed various economic cooperation initiatives with his Tanzanian counterparts. These ranged from harnessing ocean resources to fostering collaboration in key sectors such as IT, water, sports, culture, trade, and investment. These discussions highlighted the holistic nature of India-Tanzania relations, transcending the traditional confines of diplomacy to embrace a wide range of developmental and societal sectors.

In particular, India's support for Tanzania's efforts to promote the blue economy has received high praise. The blue economy, which includes various marine-based economic activities, is one of the priority sectors for Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan's government. By lending its support to this initiative, India is reinforcing its commitment to sustainable development and mutual economic growth.

Maritime Security and the G20 Presidency

India's diplomatic initiatives in Africa, particularly along the east coast, are not confined to bilateral engagements. They are part of a larger strategic vision aimed at enhancing maritime security along the eastern coast of southern Africa and the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) while also amplifying the voice of the Global South in global affairs.

As the current G20 president, India has a unique opportunity to steer the global discourse and prioritise issues of critical importance to the Global South. Through its presidency, India is keen tounderscore the challenges and aspirations of developing nations, particularly those in Africa and Asia. The maritime security dimension is especially pertinent given the growing significance of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) for global commerce, regional security, and environmental sustainability. The recent engagements with Tanzania and Seychelles thus fit neatly within this broader context, signalling India's readiness to shoulder greater responsibilities in the international arena.

Tanzania – A Gateway to Africa

Located on the east coast of Africa, at the western edge of the Indian Ocean, Tanzania serves as a natural and effective transportation gateway into eastern, southern, and central Africa. Its deepwater ports in Dar es Salaam, Tanga, and Mtwara service six landlocked neighbouring countries – Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, and Malawi.

The significance of these ports extends beyond their role in facilitating intra-African trade. They also serve as strategic fulcrums for maritime security in the region and for extending India's outreach to the African hinterland. The ongoing maritime engagement with Tanzania, symbolised by the visit of INS Trishul to the Zanzibar port, thus holds strategic implications for India's broader Africa policy.

The Tanzanian government has expressed keen interest in deepening its cooperation with India in the maritime sector. During a bilateral meeting held on June 26, Ambassador Samwel Shelukindo, the Permanent Secretary at the Tanzanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, highlighted several areas for potential collaboration. These included fishing on the high seas, development of fish processing industries, search and rescue operations, and boat manufacturing and boat-making equipment. Such a partnership would not only bolster Tanzania's blue economy but also strengthen India's maritime footprint in the region.

Aiding Tanzania’s Development

India's commitment to Tanzania's development is reflected in its wide-ranging assistance in various sectors. The Tanzanian government has acknowledged India's contribution, which includes soft loans amounting to one billion USD for the development of water projects. Once complete, these projects are expected to benefit more than six million people in Tanzania, significantly enhancing the country's water security.

India and Tanzania are also exploring cooperation in agriculture, with discussions underway for a major agreement. The African nation is expected to export 200,000 tonnes of peas to India annually, thereby boosting its agricultural exports. This agreement, once finalised, will open up new vistas of cooperation in a sector that is central to the economies of both countries.

Apart from agriculture, both countries are also working on expanding cooperation in IT, water, sports, and culture, trade, and investment. These initiatives, covering a wide range of sectors, underscore the comprehensive nature of the India-Tanzania partnership. They also reflect a shared recognition that diplomacy in the contemporary era extends beyond traditional realms and must encompass diverse sectors that touch upon the everyday lives of people.

During the second leg of his four-day visit, Jaishankar travelled to Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania's largest city and commercial capital. There, he co-chaired the 10th India-Tanzania Joint Commission Meeting with his counterpart, furthering the dialogue on strengthening bilateral ties. His meetings with the country's top leadership, including several ministers, underlined India's commitment to high-level political engagement with Tanzania.

Conclusion: An Evolving Partnership

India's recent diplomatic and naval engagements with Tanzania mark a significant milestone in the evolving India-Tanzania partnership. As India seeks to bolster its standing in the world order and reinforce its voice in the Global South, its relations with Tanzania and other African nations assume critical importance.

The geopolitical dimension, while significant, is only one aspect of the India-Tanzania relationship. The cultural, economic, educational, and developmental facets of this relationship are equally significant. From fostering maritime security to setting up an IIT campus, from advancing defencecooperation to supporting water and agricultural projects, India's engagement with Tanzania is holistic, multifaceted, and mutually beneficial. It is a partnership rooted in shared history, values, and aspirations and a shared vision of a just, inclusive, and sustainable global order.

India's engagement with Tanzania, embodied in the recent visit by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and the docking of INS Trishul at the Zanzibar port, underscores a conscious and deliberate strategic choice. It is a reaffirmation of India's commitment to its Africa policy, to the vision of SAGAR, and to its broader ambition of becoming a responsible and proactive player in the global arena.

As the world navigates the tumultuous seas of the 21st century, such strategic partnerships will become even more crucial. They will shape the contours of the emerging global order, influence the dynamics of regional politics, and define the trajectories of nations. For India, its partnership with Tanzania and its broader engagement with Africa represents an investment in a future marked by shared prosperity, mutual respect, and collective security.

Indeed, the story of India-Tanzania relations is not just a tale of two nations but a testament to the power of diplomacy, to the potential of international cooperation, and to the promise of a shared future. It is a story that encapsulates the spirit of the 21st century - an era marked by interdependence, cooperation, and the pursuit of shared goals. As this story unfolds, it will be shaped by the choices, commitments, and actions of both India and Tanzania, and by their shared vision of a better world.

The expanding India-Tanzania partnership holds promising implications for both nations and for the broader geopolitical context. It is a reminder of the transformative power of diplomacy, the promise of international cooperation, and the potential of shared aspirations. As India continues to navigate its path on the global stage, its partnership with Tanzania will be an essential chapter in its broader narrative. The seeds sown today, through a shared commitment to growth, security, and mutual respect, are poised to yield a future marked by shared prosperity and collective progress.

With the world witnessing an age of rising multipolarity and interdependence, the enduring partnership between India and Tanzania is emblematic of the evolving dynamics of international relations in the 21st century. It serves as a testament to the potential of South-South cooperation, the importance of shared historical and cultural ties, and the pivotal role of developing countries in shaping the emerging world order.

India's expanding footprint in Tanzania and the broader African continent signals a rising power's commitment to its global responsibilities, to shared prosperity, and to a sustainable future. As India continues to shape its diplomatic narrative, its partnership with Tanzania is poised to hold a significant place in that narrative, symbolising a commitment to a diplomacy that is as much about shared aspirations and mutual growth as it is about strategic considerations. The burgeoning India-Tanzania partnership thus holds profound implications for the future of both nations, the Indian Ocean Region, and the broader global community.

This partnership, rooted in mutual respect and shared aspirations, offers a promising path for India's diplomatic engagement with the Global South and for shaping a more inclusive and equitable world order. As the India-Tanzania relationship continues to evolve and deepen, it's a partnership that holds the promise of a brighter future for both nations and for the global community at large.

New Delhi influences Tanzania amid China's expanding presence in Africa

India's External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar's significant four-day diplomatic mission to Tanzania, signals New Delhi's escalating efforts to build meaningful alliances in Africa. The move comes as India strategically seeks to match and counterbalance China's growing clout on the continent.

Jaishankar's agenda during his visit is comprehensive and calculated. His engagements include meetings with the members of the Parliamentary Friendship Group for India, the initiation of an India-Tanzania business assembly, an address to the Indian diaspora, and the unveiling of a statue of renowned Hindu spiritual guru, Swami Vivekananda, in Dar es Salaam, the cultural hub of Tanzania.

This visit and its numerous planned engagements underscore India's conscious drive to expand its influence in Africa. Interestingly, Africa now stands as the second-largest recipient of Indian credit, demonstrating New Delhi's firm commitment to tapping into the continent's immense potential and asserting its presence in the region.

Harsha Bangari, Managing Director of India's Export Import Bank, shared with Bloomberg that over the past decade, 42 African countries have received about $32 billion, constituting 38% of all credit extended by India. This figure closely rivals the aid extended to India's immediate neighbours, illustrating a discernible shift in New Delhi's economic diplomacy.

To further elaborate on India's growing commitment to Africa, Bangari highlighted that New Delhi has authorized 195 project-based lines of credit amounting to roughly $12 billion across the African continent. This figure is triple the amount allocated to its own region in the past decade, manifesting the strategic priority accorded to Africa in India's foreign policy.

Meanwhile, China's robust engagement in Africa has been unignorable. Beijing is currently responsible for 12% of Africa's $700 billion external debt and stands as the continent's principal trading partner and fourth-largest source of investment. The bilateral trade between China and the African continent was estimated to be a staggering $282 billion in 2022.

In the initial five months of this year, China's total import and export volume with Africa surged to $113.5 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of over 16%. This substantial economic activity is reflective of China's aggressive pursuit of closer ties and stronger influence in Africa.

However, India's economic ties with Africa have been making considerable strides as well. Bilateral trade between India and 48 African countries registered a notable surge, reaching $74.86 billion in 2021-22. This marked an impressive growth of almost 60% year-on-year.

India's Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal, while speaking at a recent event in New Delhi, optimistically proposed that India and Africa could even aspire to more than double their bilateral trade to $200 billion by 2030. This projection takes into account the combined population of 3 billion across both regions, which continues to grow steadily.

Goyal further advocated for a comprehensive study of bilateral trade relations on a country-by-country basis, asserting that this could effectively identify new avenues for economic growth and collaboration.

This intensifying economic activity and India's strategic outreach in Africa, as epitomized by Jaishankar's ongoing visit to Tanzania, clearly reflect New Delhi's deliberate endeavour to match China's expanding footprint in Africa. As India bolsters its diplomatic and economic ties across the continent, the geopolitical landscape of Africa is evolving rapidly, with significant global implications.