India, Rwanda ink 8 MoUs

India and Rwanda on Monday signed eight agreements in an effort to bolster bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

According to a release by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on agriculture signed in May 2007 was amended on the cooperation in the field of agriculture and animal resources.

The agreement will deepen cooperation in agriculture and livestock with a strong emphasis on research, technological development, capacity building and human resource development as well as investment mobilisation.

An agreement on defence was signed for capacity building, industry, science, and technology.

An MoU on the cultural exchange programme for the year 2018-22 was signed.

The areas of cooperation will be music and dance, theatre, exhibitions, seminars and conference, archaeology, archives, library, museums, literature, research, and documentation.

Another MoU on dairy cooperation was signed on cooperation in agricultural research and education between RAB (Rwanda Agriculture Board) and ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research).

The areas of cooperation in this agreement are - training and research in dairy, processing of dairy products, quality and safety of mil, biotechnological intervention in livestock.

An agreement on trade cooperation framework was signed to facilitate, diversify, and promote trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.

An MoU on collaboration in the areas of leather and allied sectors between NIRDA and CSIR-CLRI was signed by Dr. B. Chandrasekaran, Director, CSIR-CLRI and Director General, NIRDA, Kampeta Sayinzoga.

Two LOC (Line of Credit) agreements - one for USD 100 million for development of Industrial Parks and expansion of Kigali Special Economic Zones and the other for for Agriculture irrigation scheme in Rwanda worth USD 100 million were signed between Chief General Manager, EXIM Bank, Nadeem Panjetan and Rwandan Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Dr. Uzziel Ndagijimana.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is currently on a two-day visit to Rwanda.

This is Prime Minister Modi's first visit to Rwanda and the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the East African country.

After finishing his engagements in Rwanda, Prime Minister Modi will travel to Uganda, where he will hold meetings and other engagements on Tuesday and Wednesday.