Antananarivo: President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday landed Madagascar, on the second leg of his two-nation state visit to Africa and the Indian Ocean Region as the First Post reported.

This is the first ever visit by a President or Prime Minister of India to this country.

Flying in from Mauritius,  President Kovind was received at the Ivato International Airport in Antananarivo by Prime Minister Olivier Solonandrasan and accorded a ceremonial welcome.

After the delegation-level talks, the Indian president was conferred the Grand Cross of the Second Class by Solonandrasan. This is the highest honour Madagascar which bestows on a non-citizen.

On Thursday 15.0.2018, the president will interact with members of the India-Madagascar Business Forum, and then address students and the academic community at the University of Antananarivo before leaving for India as reported PTI.

“India offered Madagascar USD 80 million LoC for agriculture and mechanization,” DD news tweeted.

India has extended a $100-million line of credit (LoC) to Mauritius for defence capacity building, as part of its Indian Ocean Region outreach that shed spotlights on maritime security for developing the ‘blue economy’.

Under the agreement publicized on Monday by President, Ramnath Kovind will use the funds to finance the purchase of a multi-purpose offshore patrol vessel from India. The agreement also includes an additional grant component of $5 million.