Over the years, Guyana and India have cultivated strategic ties both bilaterally and within the multilateral framework across various areas.
With both countries’ economies growing exponentially, there is ample opportunity for them to collaborate in emerging and established areas, thereby fostering socioeconomic transformation.
This was underscored by Foreign Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Robert Persaud during a panel discussion at the India-Guyana Business Forum at Marriott Hotel, Kingston, Georgetown, Thursday evening.
He elaborated that there was a time when India and Guyana were often overlooked.
However, this perception, the foreign secretary said, has evolved significantly.
Presently, both nations are regarded with seriousness and are actively engaged in substantive dialogues encompassing energy, climate, environment, food security, and geopolitical dynamics.
“The growth of our economy offers us that grand occasion for us to move forward in taking the relationship between Guyana and India to another level. This has to be led by the private sector,”he highlighted.
The foreign secretary stressed the crucial role of the private sector in seizing and maximising these opportunities.
Persaud noted that while governments can facilitate discussions and highlight opportunities, it is ultimately up to private enterprises to push the effort.
India’s contributions to Guyana’s oil sector have been notable, and making waves on the international stage.
Transactions between the two nations have already commenced, with India initially purchasing crude oil from Guyana for refining purposes, Persaud stated.
He highlighted an expanding partnership opportunity in the petrochemical sector, as Guyana progresses towards cheap energy solutions while tapping into its gas resources.
Meanwhile, India’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr Amit Telang, emphasised that both nations are actively working to translate the ideas and projects discussed during the visits by President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Vice-President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo to India into tangible outcomes.
Additionally, the Chairman of ActionINVEST Caribbean Inc, Dr Vishnu Doerga, said another crucial area of collaboration between the two countries is agriculture, which seeks to advance food security.
India’s expertise in climate-smart technology can be incorporated into Guyana’s agriculture and food systems.
Guyana is already strategically located globally, boasting favourable climate conditions, fertile soils, and a wealth of expertise in agriculture.
India is globally recognised for its thriving service sector, including finance, information technology, and communication.
India has financed significant projects in Guyana, including the Solar Home Electrification System and the MV MA Lisha. Other specialists in the panel discussion were Treasurer of the Private Sector Commission and Vice President of Region Three’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Haimwant Persaud, Chief Education Officer of the Women and Gender Equality Commission, Renata Chuck-A-Sang, and Founder and President of Texila University, Saju Bhaskar.(DPI)