Diaz-Canel highlights potential for expanding cooperation with India

HAVANA, Cuba, November 11 (ACN) Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, highlighted today the potential for further strengthening cooperation ties with India in various sectors.

He made this statement in reference to his meeting on Monday at the Palace of the Revolution with the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and Textiles, Pabitra Margherita, who is on an official visit to Cuba to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba emphasized in his remarks that both sides agreed on the excellent state of bilateral relations.

Margherita underscored during the exchange that India could promote tourism to Cuba within the framework of multilateral cooperation and economic relations.

On Monday, the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and Textiles officially delivered a donation of 20 tons of humanitarian aid to Cuban authorities, destined for the provinces affected by Hurricane Melissa.The aid included a mobile field hospital.

During the handover ceremony, held at the Council of Ministers headquarters with Deputy Prime Ministers Eduardo Martinez Diaz and Oscar Perez-Oliva Fraga in attendance, both sides discussed areas for expanding ties.

Martinez Diaz explained Cuba's interest in expanding cooperation in the biotechnology industry, trade, and the procurement of medicines, raw materials, and medical equipment.

He added that the island could also export unique, innovative products to India and exchange expertise in the fields of information technology, food production, the sugar industry, and renewable energy.

For his part, Margherita pointed out other areas where ties would be expanded include culture, sports, the film industry with film festivals, and television with the exchange of soap operas, all to strengthen people-to-people relations.