Indian President Abdul Kalam arrived in Dar es Salaam on Saturday at the start of a four-day state visit to Tanzania.
"The Indian president's tour, at the invitation of his Tanzanian counterpart Benjamin Mkapa, is aimed at strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries," the Tanzanian foreign ministry said in a statement.
Kalam was met at Dar es Salaam International Airport by Mkapa, senior officials and hundreds of Dar es Salaam residents.
After welcoming ceremonies Kalam was driven into the city for talks expected to focus on bilateral economic and cultural co-operation.
Kalam was due to attend a state dinner in his honour on Saturday evening.
On Sunday he is to pay a one-day visit to the semi-autonomous island of Zanzibar for talks with Zanzibari President Amani Karume, before returning to Dar es Salaam on Sunday evening to meet members of the Indian community in Tanzania.
Kalam will also deliver a public address at a function organised by the Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Foundation on Monday, before leaving for South
Africa the following day on the next leg of his week-long African tour.