Maputo (Mozambique): Coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit here, India today handed over 30 SUVs to Mozambique, completing the delivery of USD 4.5 million grant assistance as part of supporting the institutions of this African country.

The vehicles were handed over by Amar Sinha, Secretary (Economic Relations) in the External Affairs Ministry, to an official of Mozambique’s Interior Ministry.

“With handing over of 30 Mahindra SUVs, India completes delivery on $ 4.5 million grant assistance to Min(istry) of Interior,” External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup tweeted.

Swarup posted on Twitter the photographs of the handing over ceremony along with the caption “supporting Mozambican institutions. In a separate ceremony Secretary ER donates vehicles to Interior Ministry.”

Shortly before that, the Prime Minister handed over four buses to Centre for Innovation and Technological Development (CIDT) as donation from India.

“New engines for innovation. PM @narendramodi donates 4 buses to the CITD,” Swarup tweeted.

The Prime Minister went around the campus of the CIDT and interacted with students who have studied in India under ITEC and other programmes.

Later, Modi addressed the Indian diaspora and hailed Africa as a place which helped shape the identity of Indian diaspora throughout the world.

“Africa is such a land from where Indians got an international identity. Africa is such a land which shaped the identity of Indians in the world,” he said in his brief speech before winding up his day-long visit to Mozambique to move to South Africa in the second leg of his four-nation tour.

Noting that many of those present could be even fourth generation Indians, he appreciated the fact that they had preserved the culture and identity of India even while assimilating with the local societies.

He said many of the Indians present here would be those from Kutch, which is in his home state Gujarat.

While emplaning for Durban in South Africa, the Prime Minister tweeted, “Leaving Mozambique with great happiness over the ground covered in the visit to deepen the bond between India & Mozambique.”

Modi had arrived here this morning in the first leg of his four-nation tour that will also include South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya.

The focus of the African tour will be on deepening cooperation in areas of hydrocarbons, maritime security, trade and investment, agriculture and food.

PTI