Today, January 12, 2026, our two countries mark another anniversary of their bilateral diplomatic relations, established in 1960. India was one of the first Asian countries to recognize the young Cuban Revolution. Che Guevara's early visit to India in July 1959; the subsequent meeting between Fidel Castro and Jawaharlal Nehru in New York in September 1960; and Fidel's two visits to India, in 1973 and 1983, consolidated the deep bonds of friendship that endure to this day.
The year 2025 has been an example of progress in our political relations and collaboration. The results of the meeting between Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, within the framework of the BRICS Summit last July in Brazil, are a clear example of this progress, as is the visit to India by Cuban Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Eduardo Martínez Díaz to participate as a guest at the Raisina Dialogue and the India-LAC Conclave; and the visit to Cuba in November by the Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr. Pabitra Margherita, during which several agreements were signed that consolidate the bilateral legal and cultural cooperation framework.
We also highlight the meeting between Foreign Ministers Bruno Rodríguez and Dr. Jaishankar in September, on the occasion of the United Nations General Assembly. In this regard, we highly value India's reiterated support for the Cuban resolution condemning the criminal US blockade, a policy rejected once again by the vast majority of the international community, despite the strong pressure and blackmail exerted by the US Secretary of State. Political, social, and solidarity organizations with Cuba in India have consistently denounced the US government's continued policies of maximum pressure and economic strangulation against the Cuban people, including a fundraising campaign to support the national health system in Cuba. In the economic and trade sphere, India remains one of the fundamental suppliers of raw materials for the Cuban pharmaceutical industry, and potential collaborations in the biotechnology sector are being explored, to the benefit of both countries. Progress is being made in relations in the IT sector and in promoting Cuba as a tourist destination. Opportunities are also being pursued in agriculture, energy, and mining, among other sectors.
Collaboration between the two countries is expanding. More than 40 Cuban professionals benefited from ITEC courses offered by the Indian government, including the first bilateral course on the "Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence." The recognition of the Indian Pharmacopoeia and the collaboration between regulatory bodies in the field of medicines and medical equipment opens new opportunities to advance the biopharmaceutical sector. The signing of an MoU on the promotion of Ayush medicine in Cuba contributes to the gradual implementation of these ancestral practices in the health services received by our people. We greatly appreciate India's noble gesture of sending a donation of medical supplies and a mobile field hospital to help those affected by the powerful Hurricane Melissa that struck the eastern part of the country at the end of October.
Progress has been made in academic relations between the two countries, including the signing of a collaboration framework between the universities of Havana and Kerala. In the field of sports, exchanges have continued with the Olympic and Paralympic Committees, and an MoU was signed between the Cuban National Institute of Sports and the Department of Sports of Kerala, identifying several projects to be implemented over the next four years. In the cultural sphere, a book of articles and poems by Martí was published in India, the first to be translated into Hindi; and several books about Fidel Castro were published to mark the beginning of the centenary celebrations of the historical leader of the Cuban Revolution. Two Cuban films were screened at film festivals in India.
In 2025, relations with the International Solar Alliance have been consolidated, whose new Director General visited Cuba in August, agreeing on a bilateral Strategic Partnership Framework and a Roadmap to advance the introduction of renewable energies in our country. With the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, we are making progress in signing an MoU with the Cuban National Civil Defense, which includes several projects of interest to our country, the Caribbean, and Small Island Developing States. As can be seen, overall it has been a fruitful year with significant progress in our exchanges, which we will continue to promote in 2026, with new actions aimed at consolidating and expanding relations at the multilateral and bilateral levels; as well as strengthening India's role as a key partner for Cuba's economic and social development, taking advantage of the new opportunities that will arise during India's Pro Tempore Presidency of the BRICS, given Cuba's status as an associated country.
January 12th, 2026, Embassy of Cuba in India