Express News Service By

NEW DELHI: India will assist Tanzania in one of the biggest infrastructure projects in East Africa to bring drinking water from lake Victoria, which was once the focus of a diplomatic fracas with Egypt over water sharing rights.

The agreement is part of the six pacts signed by India and Tanzania after discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Tanzanian President Mrisho Kikwete on Friday.

The Tanzanian President is the first African head of state to visit India after the NDA Government took charge in May last year.

Public sector firm Wapcos signed an MoU with the Tanzania government for appointment to prepare the detailed preliminary report for lake Victoria pipeline project. Besides, Exim Bank also signed an agreement for a line of credit of $268.35 million for extension of the pipeline project.

Incidentally, the pipeline project had been in long gestation, which is expected to bring drinking water to Tanzania’s dry north-west region, benefiting over four lakh people.

China had been part of the project initially, therefore, India’s entrance into the major project in East Africa is a substantive coup.Meanwhile, New Delhi has also offered its expertise to Tanzania to develop its natural gas sector.