Prime Minister accorded red carpet welcome in Tanzania

Singh who is the first Indian head of government to visit Tanzania after 1997 was welcomed by President Jakaya Kikwete at the airport.

The Prime Minister inspected a guard of honour was welcomed by children waving Indian national tricolour. Singh is accompanied by a high level delegation, including External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and National Security Adviser, Shivshankar Menon.

Singh's visit is the first by any Indian head of government after September 1997. It is also the first head of government visit from a non-African country after President Kikwete assumed the second term following the general elections last year.

For India, Tanzania is an important partner in Africa.Singh and Kikwete will hold wide ranging discussions tomorrow to find ways for upgrading bilateral ties in a comprehensive manner, a senior official said.

The bilateral trade was over USD 1.1 billion in 2010 and the imports covered a number of agricultural commodities. India has become the second largest investor in Tanzania with total cumulative investments of USD 1.3 billion till 2009.

There will also be focus on the two countries' partnership in the development process of Tanzania through education, capacity building and infrastructure development.

Tanzania is Prime Minister's second leg of his six-day visit to Africa. He left for Dar es Salam after co-chairing the second Africa-India Forum Summit.