THE first IIT campus outside India will come up in Tanzania’s Zanzibar and it is expected to launch academic programmes in October, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, currently visiting Tanzania, described the move as a “historic step” that reflected India’s commitment to the Global South. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed for setting up of the campus of IIT-Madras in Zanzibar, which is a Tanzanian archipelago off the coast of East Africa. The MEA said the IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) campus in Zanzibar-Tanzania is envisioned as a world class higher education and research institution with a broader mission to develop competencies in response to emerging global requirements. “It will serve as an example to the world of the aspirational qualities of Indian higher education and innovation,” it said in a statement.

 

The MoU was inked on Wednesday in presence of Jaishankar and Zanzibar’s President Hussein Ali Mwinyi. “The first IIT campus to be set up outside India will be in Zanzibar,” the MEA said, adding it will enhance India’s reputation globally. It said an MoU was signed between India’s Education Ministry, IIT Madras and Zanzibar’s Ministry of Education and Vocational Training. RECEPTION ONBOARD INS TRISHUL: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar attended a deck reception onboard INS Trishul along with President of Zanzibar Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi and said that the presence of the ship here is a statement of India’s commitment to ensure peace and prosperity in the region. The Indian Naval Ship Trishul, a guided missile frigate, is visiting Tanzania.

 

Jaishankar arrived in Zanzibar on a two-day official visit on Wednesday. He called on President Mwinyi earlier and discussed bilateral ties, including defence co-operation. “Delighted to meet President of Zanzibar Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi. Appreciated his strong commitment to a stronger India-Zanzibar partnership. Our development partnership and defence co-operation are domains with which he is closely associated. @DrHmwinyi,” the External Affairs Minister tweeted.