New Delhi: Tanzania's Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, January Yusuf Makamba has said that during Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan's India visit, the two countries will elevate their defence relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

"In this visit, we will elevate our relationships to a comprehensive strategic partnership with four pillars. One is a development corporation. Two, maritime security, three, defence corporation and four, trade investment..." the Tanzanian Foreign Affairs Minister said.

"In defence, there are many areas and we have been working with the Indian defence sector for a while now in terms of training, and exchange of knowledge. Hardware will be part of the future arrangement. There is a foundation of cooperation and it's part of the four pillars of strategic partnership we want to have with India," he added.

The President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan will be arriving in New Delhi today for a four-day state visit during which she will participate in bilateral meetings and exchange MoUs with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Saturday.

President Samia will arrive at 5:15 pm and later will meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at 6:30 pm.

Meanwhile, Makamba while speaking on the IIT Campus in Zanzibar, said: "It is very very significant as you know the IIT is a very reputable institution in India. It has produced world-class renowned technology entrepreneurs. The willingness of India to open this...is very important for us."

He further said that: "It is a leap of faith for India to do this. We appreciate the significance and symbolic value of this that India is keen on exporting its model of success in creating engineers, technicians and technology entrepreneurs. It is very important for us as it is in line with our development objectives."

The minister while speaking on the African Union's inclusion in G20, said this is very good and that India has had a historic role as champion of the global south.

"Back in the '60s and even farther back in the '50s, India worked with Africa to struggle for independence and liberation of Southern Africa. India and Africa saw eye to eye in many important liberation and anti-colonialism matters. It was part of our Nine Aligned Movement and India was part of the global south," he said.

"What we are happy about is that as India ascends into a position of global influence, it has kept its faith and is loyal to the cause of the global south. India now gets to sit at the big table, G20, and still remember that it's important that countries of the south also have a voice in the big table. So the advocacy of India to include the African Union in the G20 was very well received in Africa, and it's an appreciation of India's important role as a champion of the Global South," he added.