India is not in competition with China or any other country in pursuing its policy of development cooperation with foreign nations, particularly Africa, Vice President Hamid Ansari today said.
Interacting with reporters en route to Kigali to begin his five-day tour to Rwandan and Uganda, Ansari said, "We are not in competition with China or anyone else, as far as our development cooperation with foreign countries is concerned, particularly in Africa. They have their own style of work, own capacities."
"We are development partners in Africa, once they decide what they want to benefit from Indian expertise then we transform them into concrete projects of assistance. And, our experience so far has been satisfactory," he said in response to a question.
This is the first high-level visit from India to Rwanda and first high-level bilateral visit to Uganda since 1997.
Asserting the importance of the visit, Ansari said this is part of a "conscious effort" of the Indian government to "intensify" our interaction with African nations.
"Our President has made visits to three African countries, the Prime Minister to four and I have visited five already. And, now Rwanda and Uganda visit is on the same line," he said.
The Vice President has made official visit to Nigeria, Mali, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria.
Ansari also hailed the African nations in making "remarkable progress" as attested by international economic experts and underlined the role of "economically relevant" Indian community in the two East African countries, particularly Uganda.
"With Rwanda we have a strategic relation while 30,000 Indians in Uganda are economically very relevant," he said.
On India's role in its development cooperation in Africa, Ansari said, "We don't try to force them to do anything, we let them decide which areas they wish to cooperate. Areas of expertise we can share, that is our objective. We let them decide what are the areas they would like to cooperate, in education, capacity building.
"India's engagement with Rwanda has been consultative,
response-based and focused on developing Rwandan capacities and human capital. India's assistance to the country has been guided mainly by the announcements made by India at the India-Africa Forum Summits in 2008, 2011 and 2015," a senior MEA official said.
India has engaged with Rwanda and Uganda on many levels. A 28 MW hydroelectric power project on the Nyabarongo River in Rwanda was constructed with a Line of Credit worth USD 80 million from India. Besides, 35 schools in Rwanda have been solar-electrified, she said.
"India has also stationed a four-member military training team in Uganda since 2010 to train Ugandan defence personnel and has also deployed a telecom expert, the MEA official said.
Ansari during his visit is slated to address India-Uganda Business Forum and launch India-Rwanda Innovation Growth Programme as part of which there would be a technology expo of India's low-cost innovations.
"Regarding our relationship, both Rwanda and Uganda are important from the point of view of trade, especially in the pharmaceuticals, automobiles and mechanical appliances and machinery sectors. Our trade with Rwanda has doubled over the last five years while we are one of Uganda's largest trading partners," the MEA official said.
Ansari, however said, "The trade from our side has been good but not so good from Uganda side.
