High Commission of India Georgetown Guyana
India’s relations with Guyana are warm and cordial with a high degree of understanding. The interaction is structured through periodic Joint Commissions, Foreign Office Consultations, Cultural Exchange Programme and ITEC. Though structured bilateral visits are not very frequent, there are meetings of leaders at international conferences, either in India or abroad. Prime Minister met with President Jagdeo during Trinidad CHOGM Summit in November 2009 and Speaker of Guyanese Parliament visited India in January 2009 to attend Commonwealth Speakers’ Conference.
President Jagdeo embarked on a private visit to India in January 2011 and after demitting office in February 2012 to attend Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS) 2012. The 3rd round of Foreign Office Consultations was held in Georgetown on 15th July, 2011. Prime Minister of Guyana, Mr. Samuel Hinds visited India in October, 2012, to attend International Seminar on Energy Access and also had a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of India. President of Guyana Mr. Donald Ramotar, accompanied by former President Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo visited India to participate in DSDS 2013 Summit organized by The Environment Research Institute (TERI) from 31st January – 1st February, 2013. President Mr. Donald Ramotar also made a courtesy call on the Hon’ble President of India.
President Donald Ramotar also had a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Shri Narender Modi on 16th July, 2014 on the sidelines 6th BRICS-UNASUR Meeting at Fortaleza in Brazil. Both the leaders reviewed bilateral relations including enhancing of economic and commercial ties.
President Donald Ramotar paid an official visit to India from 7-12 January 2015. He was invited to be the Chief Guest for Pravasi Bharatiya Divas-2015 held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat and was conferred the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award during the event.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President David Granger met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on 24th September 2015. The two leaders had a broad based discussion on the state of bilateral relations and the way forward to further strengthen the relationship.
Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo paid two private visits to India on October 1-9 and on November 11-14, 2016 to participate in the World Tamils Economic Conference in Chennai and the International Conference of Chief Justices of the World, organized by City Montessori School, Lucknow respectively. During his visit, Prime Minister Nagamootoo met Minister of State for External Affairs, Gen (Retd.) V.K. Singh on October 6, 2016. Guyanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Carl Greenidge and MOS Mr. M.J. Akbar had met in September 2016 on the sidelines of UNGA to discuss about bilateral relations.
Of late, Indian companies have shown increased interest in mining and forestry. A number of Indian companies have acquired agricultural land for cultivation of maize, pulses, vegetables and fruits etc. Some have invested in the field of education and health services.
Bilateral trade between India and Guyana was US$ 34.71 m for 2014-15 (compared to US$ 31.47m for 2013-14) .
India-Guyana bilateral trade (US$ Million).
|
Year
|
2012-13
|
2013-14
|
2014-15
|
2015-16
|
2016-17
|
|
India’s Export
|
21.94
|
24.19
|
24.41
|
21.87
|
20.10
|
|
India’s Import
|
4.73
|
7.28
|
10.30
|
18.48
|
14.48
|
|
Total Trade
|
26.67
|
31.47
|
34.71
|
40.35
|
34.58
|
India has done some high-visibility projects under LoC in Guyana, i.e. cricket stadium, traffic lights in Georgetown and supply of 14 irrigation drainage pumps. An LOC of US $ 17.50 million for modernization of Primary Health Centers in Bartica, West Demerara and Suddie has been approved by GOI and the agreement signed between EXIM Bank of India and the Guyanese Government. A list of consultancy firm on the panel of EXIM Bank has been provided to the Government of Guyana, who on selection by the Government of Guyana (GOG) will prepare a DPR (detailed project report) for the project. The agreement for the new East Bank Demerara-East Coast Demerara bypass road at US$50M has been signed between the EXIM Bank of India and the Government of Guyana. On the request of GOG, the name of RITES as a consultant for the project has been proposed to the GOG. A two member team from RITES has also visited Guyana to have discussions with GOG and to see the site of the project. A passenger ferry for Guyana at US$ 18 million (of which grant element was US $ 8 million) is being procured from India and a LOC agreement for US $10 million for the same has been signed. The tender document and draft contract for acquisition of the ferry as received from GOG is with the Ministry for examination. An LOC for irrigation / drainage pumps worth US $ 4 million has also been signed. The tender documents for the project as received from GOG are being processed by the Ministry. India is also setting up an IT Centre of Excellence in Guyana, an agreement for which has already been signed.
CDAC has been appointed as the implementing agency for the project. GOG has been asked to nominate the name of six candidates who would be trained at the CDAC facility in Pune and turned into master trainers for the Centre. A two member team from CDAC and Director (DPA-II), MEA has also visited Guyana in connection with the implementation of the project. India offered 26 slots during 2015-16 for Guyanese scholars to be trained in India under the ITEC (Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation programme). In February 2010, a team of experts under ITEC conducted a feasibility study for a deep water port in Guyana. Scholarships are also offered under Cultural and Commonwealth schemes as also scholarships for Diaspora Children and the Know India Programme for Diaspora Youth.
Indian Cultural Centre in Georgetown, the arm of ICCR in Guyana was established in 1972. The Cultural Centre has provisions to teach Indian classical dance, yoga and music. Besides organizing classes for dance, yoga and music, the Cultural Centre also organizes cultural events round the year and takes part in cultural events organized by local cultural and social organisations. The Centre organizes workshops from time to time and also participates in local cultural events as a part of its outreach programme. Hindi classes in Region 2 of Guyana are being held since 2010 under the aegis of ICCR.
The National Council of Science Museums of India hosted a mobile science exhibition called “India: A Culture of Science”. The Exhibition was held in Georgetown from 20th August to 30th September, 2012. Approx. 33000 people, mainly students, visited the exhibition. The exhibition also held workshops in which scientists from India trained Guyanese teachers in science and mathematics.
Indian High Commission actively participated in celebration of 175th Anniversary of Indian Arrival in Guyana. GOPIO International inaugurated Calcutta monument in Georgetown and at Highbury in Region 6 – the point of first Indian arrival in Guyana. India has donated to Guyana a monument consisting of six bronze statues commemorating arrival of first group of indentured labourers in Guyana on May 5,1838. The monument called “Indian Arrival Monument” has arrived from India and is being stored by the Guyanese government while they are preparing the site of the monument at Palmyra Village, Berbice.
A 6-member Bhojpuri Music troupe visited Guyana from 23rd to 26th May, 2014 under the aegis of ICCR. The Troupe gave 3 performances including the one on the Independence Day of Guyana. A 5-member music troupe led by renowned Sufi singer Indira Naik visited Guyana from 27-29 October 2014 under ICCR’s sponsorship and gave two performances. A nine member cultural troupe led by Shri Jitendra Parashar visited Guyana from June 3-8,2015underICCR’s sponsorship and gave performances in Georgetown and Berbice. A Bhojpuri Cultural troupe fully sponsored by the ICCR performed at Georgetown and Mahaica in celebration of 50 th Anniversary of Independence of Guyana. The High Commission of India organised a Sari draping and exhibition event for the first time from March 25-26, 2017 in a bid to popularise this quintessential Indian.
International Day of Yoga is celebrated every year in Georgetown, Guyana. The Yoga events are received with great enthusiasm and fervor by the local population.
There is a small Indian community of Indians approximately 300 working as doctors, nurses, lab technicians, small business, skilled workers and laborers in big companies in Guyana. The number of Indians is likely to increase with the participation of Indian companies in the field of Agriculture and other business ventures.
August 2017
Useful Resources:
www.hcigeorgetown.org
https://www.facebook.com/indiaingeorgetown
https://twitter.com/IndiainGuyana
