Jaishankar, Zanzibar President Mwinyi Discuss Expanding Cooperation in AI, Education, and Digital Innovation

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwinyi in New Delhi on Sunday to explore ways of broadening cooperation between India and Zanzibar across key sectors, including artificial intelligence, digital technology, healthcare, water management, and higher education.

Following the meeting, Jaishankar described the discussions as constructive and reaffirmed India's commitment to strengthening its development partnership with Zanzibar and the wider United Republic of Tanzania. He noted that both sides exchanged views on enhancing collaboration in education, skill development, healthcare services, water infrastructure, AI, and digital transformation, reflecting a shared vision for long-term growth.

A major highlight of the talks was the IIT Madras Zanzibar campus, which Jaishankar identified as a flagship initiative showcasing India's expanding educational and technological engagement with Africa. Opened in October 2023, the institution became the first overseas campus established by an Indian Institute of Technology and represents a milestone in India's international academic outreach.

President Mwinyi's visit to India began in Chennai, where he attended the 63rd Convocation Ceremony of IIT Madras as the chief guest on Friday. During the event, he encouraged deeper academic collaboration and greater student and faculty exchanges between India and Tanzania, describing the Zanzibar campus as a cornerstone of bilateral educational cooperation.

Upon the President's arrival in New Delhi on Saturday evening, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal welcomed the delegation and noted that the visit reflects the strong historical relationship between India and Tanzania. He said the two nations continue to build on their shared priorities as partners in the Global South while further advancing their strategic partnership.

Officials expect the visit to pave the way for additional cooperation in areas such as healthcare infrastructure, industrial development, digital public infrastructure, and capacity-building initiatives. The IIT Madras Zanzibar campus is increasingly being viewed as a model for India's educational diplomacy in Africa, highlighting New Delhi's broader effort to foster innovation, knowledge-sharing, and institutional partnerships across the Global South.

The discussions between Jaishankar and President Mwinyi also align with India's wider foreign policy objective of strengthening ties with African partners through technology collaboration, skills development, and sustainable growth initiatives. Both leaders reaffirmed the value of working together to address common development goals while expanding opportunities for future cooperation.