With China already cementing its presence in the African country, experts opine that India should increase its focus on development sectors which include health, water management along with provision of drinking water and education besides the country’s digital framework, writes Mahua Venkatesh
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s State visit to New Delhi earlier this month – marking the first by any African leader after the inclusion of the African Union in the G20 frame – was not an ordinary one. A host of Indian companies including healthcare majors such as Max and Apollo, are already looking to either invest in Tanzania or expand their existing operations.
With China already cementing its presence in the African country, experts opine that India should increase its focus on development sectors which include health, water management along with provision of drinking water and education besides the country’s digital framework.
Last year, Apollo Hospitals Group and Eclipse Group, Africa signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a cancer treatment centre in Dar es Salaam. The partnership will allow Apollo Hospitals to provide healthcare services with advanced cancer care treatments in the country. The partnership will help patients from neighbouring countries to seek treatment as well.
“African countries are hoping to get more support from India in the social sectors—especially health. While India has been contributing in the health sector, it should look at further expanding its presence in this area,” an analyst told India Narrative.
India has also extended Lines of Credits (LoCs) amounting to over $1.1 billion covering fields of drinking water infrastructure, agriculture and defence.
India-supported water projects of $500 million running in 24 towns in Tanzania, once completed, will provide easy access to safe drinking water to about six million residents of these regions.
“These projects which touch the lives of the people and therefore, these go a long way in creating goodwill. India’s focus on the social sector will be a differentiator between New Delhi and Beijing,” the analyst said.
As India and Tanzania elevated their ties to the level of strategic partnership during Hassan’s visit, Dar es Salam could serve as an important platform for India as the latter tries to boost ties and outreach with the rest of Africa.
The two countries, which share maritime borders, are set to look at starting trade in local currencies.
Tanzania’s role in SAGAR policy
Dar es Salam will also play a key role in the Security and Growth for all in the Region (SAGAR) vision of India. SAGAR programme unveiled in 2015 is aimed at strengthening marine cooperation and security especially amid China’s aggressive moves in the region.
In June this year, India and Tanzania set up a five-year roadmap for defence cooperation. Just before Hassan’s trip to India, Chief of Army Staff Manoj Pande was in Tanzania to take stock of the existing defence ties while Tanzania’s Defence Minister Stergomena Tax visited India in August 2022 and February this year. The two countries are also keen to expand the collaboration in newer areas of defence.
India has already deployed an Indian Military Training Team (IMTT) at Tanzania’s Command and Staff College in Duluti.
According to Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, the fact that India has successfully hosted mini-Defence Expos twice in Dar es Salaam in May 2022 and October 2023 is an indication of the growing interest between both the countries in expanding their cooperation in the defence industry. “The Tanzanian example serves as a perfect template which India should try to implement in other African countries along the Western Indian Ocean region like Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, among others,” it said.
Given the challenges posed by China in the Indian Ocean, it is time for both India and Tanzania to re-orient their relations from focusing on training to a partnership that is more strategic in nature, the institute noted.
As the chair of the G20 India has positioned itself as the voice of the Global South.
Last year while unveiling the 2023 G20 summit logo and theme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the effort should be to ensure there is only one world by removing barriers including “First World” or “Third World”.
“India, as our 14 formidable members in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the Commonwealth, and Group of 77 (G77) in the United Nations, continues to be our voice and mouthpiece in avenues where we do not have a seat. We trust India’s leadership not because of its sheer size and economy, but because of its historical contribution and moral standing,” Hassan said during her trip to India.
Post Covid re-engagement with Global South
President Suluhu Hassan’s State visit to India –just after Army Chief General Manoj Pande’s trip to the East African nation last week, is crucial for New Delhi and the Indo Pacific geopolitical contours. Tanzania will seek greater support from India in the area of healthcare. India, which has raised the pitch for “One Earth, One Family, One Future” as part of its overall focus on the Global South, has indicated that it is ready to handhold countries and partners in supporting social sectors including healthcare and education.
According to estimates, India receives about 50,000 African patients every year, seeking medical assistance starting from minor surgeries to dealing with organ transplants, cancer treatment and heart diseases. The number is expected to rise significantly in the coming years.
Insufficient funds, lack of trained doctors and nurses and poor medical infrastructure have come up as major challenges for Tanzania in the area of healthcare services. Though Dar es Salam has initiated reforms to upgrade the healthcare sector, it is still fraught with shortcomings.
India and Tanzania have been increasing cooperation in “strategic sectors such as water, health, agriculture, ICT, blue economy, education, trade and investment and agriculture,” Tanzanian news organisation Daily News said. The news organisation added that Hassan’s four-day visit to New Delhi underscores her government’s commitment to enhance and deepen the friendship and bilateral cooperation between Tanzania and India, which has been existing for decades.
“India as our 14 formidable members in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the Commonwealth, and Group of 77 (G77) in the United Nations, continues to be our voice and mouthpiece in avenues where we do not have a seat. We trust India’s leadership not because of its sheer size and economy, but because of its historical contribution and moral standing,” Hassan said while speaking at the Jawaharlal University.
Interestingly, in July External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar paid a visit to Tanzania just after his trip to Kenya, in January, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla led a delegation to Nairobi and Dar es Salam.
Brookings in a report noted that India and Africa’s historical links have experienced a revival in recent years, and there are strong reasons for optimism that the partnership could be mutually beneficial. In fact, in recent years, and especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, India made moves that indicate its intention to become Africa’s biggest partner. It also said that Present mega trends in Africa are supportive of India’s trade and investments in the region. Africa’s large working-age population, its growing middle class, and the significant share of services are all ingredients for value-adding trade and investment relationships.
India is Tanzania’s fourth largest trading partner with bilateral trade touching $6.5 billion in 2022-23. In 2017-18, it was $2.6 billion. India is also among the top five investment sources in Tanzania.
Notably, China, also a prominent voice in the continent, has been reducing lending to the continent. According to Reuters, Chinese sovereign lending to Africa fell below $1 billion last year – the lowest level in nearly two decades – underscoring Beijing’s shift away from a decades-long big ticket infrastructure spree on the continent.
Meanwhile, Hassan, who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged India’s role as the G20 chair and being instrumental in inducting the African Union in the grouping. While Tanzania will seek greater support from India to strengthen social sectors such as health and education, it will seek a larger quantum of foreign direct investments as well from New Delhi. In a major move, the first overseas campus of Indian Institute of Technology will be set up in Tanzania.
The Tanzanian President’s visit ahead of the India-African summit slated to take place in December could have far reaching consequences. Hassan has not only reaffirmed the country’s participation but assured India of all support required to make the summit a success.
