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The Governments of India and Guyana have signed off on five historic Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in hydrocarbons (oil and gas), pharmaceuticals, healthcare, agriculture, and the development of economic and human capital.
The agreements were officially exchanged on Wednesday at State House, Main Street, Georgetown, between Guyana’s government ministers and India’s Minister of External Affairs, Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
This significant development follows bilateral discussions between President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister of the Cooperative Republic of India, Shri Narendra Modi on day one of his state visit.
President Ali emphasised the importance of the agreements signed, describing them as a significant milestone, particularly in the agriculture sector.
The collaboration in agriculture will focus on the exchange of information, technology, and expertise to enhance efficiency in the sector, and other related allied industries. This partnership aims to promote climate-resilient and precision agriculture, foster digital public infrastructure, and create a supportive ecosystem for farmers.
Guyana will also benefit from India’s digitisation strategies, focusing on improving governance, and healthcare delivery through telemedicine, and other digital transformations.
The use of technology and innovation in agriculture, India has distinguished itself among all other global competitors in this area and we also will be benefiting from this.
“In healthcare, it’s not only pharma products but looking at ayurvedic medicine and looking at ways in which we can expand India’s excellent global footprint in the healthcare industry here in Guyana,”President Ali explained.
As part of the five agreements, Guyana will also benefit from India’s expertise in vaccine manufacturing, which will support Guyana’s initiative to establish a regional vaccine production hub. The collaboration also extends to exploring traditional medicine, including Ayurveda, and modern pharmaceutical solutions.
In Urban and Infrastructure Development; India will provide Guyana with experience in urban development, with a focus on improving urban governance, efficiency, and infrastructure.
Coming out of the discussions, a joint working group will be established to ensure the smooth application of the agreements, specifically focusing on bottlenecks and systematic challenges, according to the president.
The Guyanese Head of State praised Prime Minister Modi’s leadership and developmental initiatives, noting their adoption by developing countries like Guyana. He described the visit as a pivotal step toward fostering deeper cooperation between the two nations.
Meanwhile, PM Modi emphasised India’s commitment to advancing mutually beneficial partnerships in the identified areas. He commended Guyana for joining several initiatives led by the Republic of India, including the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBVA).
“India has made significant contributions to Guyana’s human resource development…this is a huge priority area for India and we will further expand this cooperation,” he emphasised.
This new development forms part of a series of discussions planned with Prime Minister Modi, during his historic three-day state visit to Guyana.
Later today, both leaders will address the CARICOM-India Summit being hosted at the Guyana Marriott Hotel, while on Thursday, they both will address Guyana’s Parliament.
Since establishing diplomatic ties in 1996, the two nations have developed strong cooperation in the economic, scientific, technical and cultural fields.
Just last year, President Ali led a 43-member delegation to India, further intensifying bilateral cooperation. At that meeting, joint working groups were established to accelerate discussions in agriculture and food production, information communications technology, energy, Ayurvedic and wellness, natural medicine and development, defence, and human resource and capacity building.
India is also contributing to Guyana’s infrastructural development, including the East Coast to East Bank Demerara Road linkage, which is nearing completion.
The deals are believed to be beneficial to both sides. By securing deals with Guyana, India makes its own access to oil more secure.
Of interest to the Caribbean in general is that India has pledged to share its expertise in seaweed management technology with Caribbean nations, addressing the issue of seaweed infestation that affects tourism and marine ecosystems. This initiative is expected to benefit both regions by promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
Source: Guyana Public Information Service.
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