Modi becomes first PM to set foot in Rwanda

New Delhi, July 23

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday arrived in Rwanda’s capital Kigali on the first leg of his three-nation Africa tour, becoming the first Indian premier to visit the East African country, one of continent’s fastest growing economies.

PM Modi held one-on-one talks with President Paul Kagame. The two sides later signed eight MoUs and documents on cooperation in capacity building, defence, industry, science and technology.

India agreed to extend two lines of credit — $100 million for development of industrial parks and expansion of Kigali SEZs and $100 million for agriculture irrigation scheme in Rwanda and a trade cooperation framework.

PM Modi’s visit to Rwanda, Uganda en route to South Africa for the BRICS summit is seen as an outreach to vie for influence in Africa where China has deepened its foothold.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will be attending the summit where he is likely to hold a bilateral with PM Modi, three months after the informal summit at Wuhan. — TNS