Cuba is the first stop of the tour of Latin America by the Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture of India, Meenakashi Lekhi. This is yet another demonstration of the warm and excellent relations between the two nations.
By María Josefina Arce
Cuba is the first stop of the tour of Latin America by the Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture of India, Meenakashi Lekhi. This is yet another demonstration of the warm and excellent relations between the two nations.
The Greater of the Antilles does not forget that the Asian country was one of the first to recognize the triumph of the revolution in January 1959, date from which a fluid political dialogue and close contact has been maintained, materialized in a wide exchange of high-level visits.
The trips to Indian territory by the historic leader of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro, in 1973 and 1983, were transcendental. Years before, in 1959, the heroic guerrilla Ernesto Che Guevara had also visited the Asian nation, which in 1960 opened its diplomatic mission in the Cuban capital.
Havana and New Delhi have signed cooperation agreements in various fields such as science and technology, bilateral trade, biotechnology, culture and renewable energy. In the latter, the Indian government has granted the archipelago credit lines for various projects related to the use of clean energy.
The high degree of cooperation in biotechnology between Cuban and Indian companies and the development of joint projects stand out, in view of the progress of both states in this field.
Cuba has made notable achievements in obtaining innovative medicines, while India is highly developed in the construction of equipment used in the field of biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industry.
In the political consultations held last June in Havana, both sides agreed on the broad prospects for strengthening economic, commercial, financial and collaborative ties.
Cuban authorities have pointed out the role that India can play in the progress of priority sectors of the National Economic and Social Development Plan until 2030.
There is a great coincidence between the two countries on various international issues and they have maintained fluid and close contacts in forums such as the UN, the NAM, the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, and the Group of 77+China, whose pro tempore presidency Havana will hold this year.
Cuba in its struggle against the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States for sixty years has always had the support of India, which recognizes the obstacle it represents for the socio-economic development of the archipelago.
Likewise, in addition to remaining one of the Caribbean nation's main trading partners in the Asia-Oceania region, it has always maintained a position of solidarity with the Cuban people, which it has helped in the face of natural disasters such as hurricanes.
The visit of the Indian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Culture will be a boost to relations based on friendship, respect, solidarity and common points of view.
