General Manoj Pande, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) of the Indian Army embarks on an official visit to Tanzania from 2nd to 5th October 2023, reinforcing the long-standing defence ties between the two countries.

The COAS is scheduled to visit Dar es Salaam, the Tanzanian capital, the historical city of Zanzibar, and Arusha. He will engage in discussions and meetings with a host of dignitaries and senior officers from Tanzania. During his visit, the COAS is likely to call on the Hon’ble President of the Union Republic of Tanzania Her Excellency Samia Suluhu Hassan.

High on the agenda are the planned meetings with Hon’ble Defence Minister Dr. Stergomena Lawrence Tax and the Chief of Defence Force General Jacob John Mkunda. The COAS will also be visiting Zanzibar and call on Hon’ble President of Zanzibar His Excellency Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi. In addition, interaction with the Commander of the 101st Infantry Brigade General Saidi Hamisi Saidi is also scheduled.

General Manoj Pande will also be addressing the National Defence College and interacting with Major General Wilbert Augustine Ibuge Commandant and the faculty. Additionally, a meeting with Brigadier General Stephen Justice Mnkande, Commandant of the Command and Staff College, Duluti is also planned during the visit.

The visit also coincides with the 2nd India Tanzania Mini DEFEXPO being conducted at Dar-es-Salaam which will showcase the growing prowess of the Indigenous defence industry complex of India.

The bilateral defence relationship between India and Tanzania has been robust and thriving. The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation in October 2003 laid a strong foundation. This cooperation was further underscored by the second meeting of the India-Tanzania Joint Defence Cooperation Committee held in Arusha, Tanzania on 28th and 29th June this year.

Both the Indian and Tanzanian Army offer vacancies for each other in professional military courses. This has helped the personnel from both countries build strong bonds, exchange ideas and share best practices. The Tanzanian Army has been consistently participating in the UN Peacekeeping training in India over the last five years. Similarly, a Training Team of the Indian Army has been deployed at Command and Staff College, Duluti since year 2017.

Tanzanian military delegations have been regularly visiting India symbolising the deep military cooperation between both countries. In the recent past, Tanzanian delegations made a notable presence at Aero India 23, Indo Africa Army Chiefs Conclave-23 and AFINDEX-23. Senior military leaders from Tanzania also visited India during Def Expo 22 and recently concluded the 13th IPACC, 47th IPAMS and 9th SELF 23.

This visit of the COAS further consolidates the high-level bilateral defence engagements and close defence ties shared between India and Tanzania. The visit promises to not just celebrate the existing collaborations but also pave the way for a stronger future partnership.