PM Narendra Modi donated 200 cows under 'Girinka' (one cow per poor family programme) in Rwanda on Tuesday. (P... Read More

India has extended over $400 million lines of credit (LOC) for Rwanda and Uganda during Prime Minister Narendra Modi 's visit to the two countries on his way to South Africa for the upcoming Brics summit. Significantly, India also signed agreements for cooperation in the defence sector with the two east African nations.

After the $200 million LOC for Rwanda, India on Tuesday extended two lines of credit worth nearly $200 million to Uganda in energy infrastructure, agriculture and dairy sectors as the PM held wide-ranging talks with President Yoweri Museveni and discussed ways to strengthen the bilateral ties.

Modi, who arrived in Kampala on Tuesday evening on a two-day visit to Uganda - the first bilateral tour by an Indian PM since 1997, held one-on-one meeting with President Museveni followed by a delegation-level talks to comprehensively review all aspects of bilateral relations.

Modi said India and Uganda should also strengthen cooperation in the field of military training. He announced to provide vehicles and ambulances to Ugandan forces and for civilian use.

"India will assist Uganda in training, capacity-building, infrastructure development, IT and development initiatives," Modi said.

In Rwanda, which saw a visit by an Indian PM for the first time, Modi gifted 200 cows to villagers to support President Paul Kagame's ambitious initiative for poverty reduction and tackling childhood malnutrition.

Girinka Programme was initiated by Kagame in 2006 to provide one cow per poor family for nutritional and financial security.

Modi, who is here on a two-day state visit, gifted these cows to poor families during a function at Rweru model village. Speaking on the occasion, Modi appreciated the government's 'Girinka Programme'.

