Georgetown:
India and Guyana on Wednesday ratified 10 agreements to strengthen cooperation in a range of key sectors such as hydrocarbons, digital payment systems, pharmaceuticals and defense, following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Guyanese President Mohamed Irfaan Ali.
In his media statement, Prime Minister Modi said Guyana will play an important role in India's energy security and a blueprint will be drawn up for a long-term partnership in the sector.
“The visit of an Indian Prime Minister to Guyana after 56 years is an important milestone in our relations. I have had a deep personal bond with Guyana,” he said, recalling his visit as an ordinary citizen to the South American country some 24 years ago. back.
The Prime Minister arrived here last night from the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, where he was attending the G20 summit.
One of the MoUs will provide for the implementation of India's digital payment system UPI (Unified Payments Interface) in Guyana.
“During today's meeting, we identified many new initiatives to strengthen our collaboration. We will continue our efforts to enhance our mutual trade and economic cooperation,” Prime Minister Modi said.
The Prime Minister said India will continue to contribute to the capacity building of the Guyana Army through scholarships and training.
“Close defense cooperation is a symbol of our deep mutual trust. I am pleased that India has delivered two Dornier aircraft to Guyana this year,” he said.
The agreements signed between the two sides will provide for cooperation in a wide range of areas, including hydrocarbons, agriculture, medicine, digital payment systems, culture and digital transformation.
In his remarks, Prime Minister Modi said India has made significant contributions to the skills development and capacity building of the people of Guyana depending on their needs.
The two sides also agreed to expand cooperation in the agricultural sector.
“With the millet seeds that India provided last year, we were able to contribute to increasing the food security of Guyana and the entire region,” Prime Minister Modi said.
“Similarly, we will also cooperate in increasing the cultivation of rice flour, sugarcane, corn, soybean and other crops,” he said.
During the talks, the Indian side also agreed to establish a Jan Aushadhi Kendra in Guyana.
“In addition to increasing pharmaceutical exports, we will also work to build Jan Aushadhi Kendra in Guyana. India has contributed to the development of Guyana's infrastructure as a reliable partner,” Prime Minister Modi said.
The two leaders also deliberated on regional and global issues.
“We also discussed many global and regional issues. India and Guyana agree that all issues must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy,” the Prime Minister said.
“We unanimously agree that reforms in global institutions are the need of the hour. Climate justice is a priority for both of us. We will continue to work together on all issues,” he said.
On his part, President Ali said Prime Minister Modi's visit to Guyana is an important milestone in enhancing cooperation between the two nations.
He praised Prime Minister Modi and called him a 'champion among leaders' for his impactful leadership and contribution to the developing world.
“Thank you very much, Prime Minister Modi. It is our greatest honor to have you here. You are a champion among leaders. You have provided incredible leadership,” President Ali said during a joint press statement with Prime Minister Modi.
He commended Prime Minister Modi's style of governance and noted its relevance and acceptance in Guyana and other countries.
“You have shown the light to the developing world, and you have created development benchmarks and a framework that many are adopting in their own countries. And a lot of that is relevant to us here in Guyana,” he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DailyExpertNews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)