Kigali, Jul 24 (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today arrived in Rwanda on the first leg of his three-nation Africa tour, becoming the first Indian prime minister to visit the East African country.

His two-day state visit to Rwanda -- one of Africa's fastest growing economies -- assumes significance as this is the first by an Indian prime minister. After one-on-one talks with president Paul Kagame, Modi announced that India will soon open its mission in Rwanda. India also extended USD 200 million lines of credit to Rwanda. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with President Paul Kagame and discussed measures to strengthen cooperation in trade and agriculture sector.

The two countries signed agreements on leather and allied areas and agricultural research.

India also extended two lines of credit -- one of USD 100 million for development of industrial parks and Kigali special economic zone (SEZ) in Rwanda and another one for USD 100 million for agriculture.

"A historic visit starts with a special gesture. President @PaulKagame personally welcomed PM @narendramodi to Rwanda," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted.

Modi will also meet the business leaders and the Indian communities.

He will visit the Genocide Memorial and participate in an event on "Girinka" (one cow per family), a national social protection scheme of Rwanda initiated by Kagame.

Under 'Girinka', a social protection scheme of the Rwandan government personally overseen by President Kagame, poorest families are gifted dairy cows by the government and the first female calf born to the cow is gifted to the neighbour, thus promoting brotherhood and solidarity.

The cows to be gifted by India would be sourced from Rawanda.

Modi's visit comes days after Chinese President Xi Jinping's trip to Rwanda.

Modi would proceed to Uganda tomorrow for a two-day visit, the first bilateral visit by an Indian prime minister since 1997.