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Add to Preferred SourcesIndia will extend a Line of Credit of USD 31 million and a concessional financing of USD 20 million to Suriname as the two countries agreed to strengthen their economic relations and development partnership after President Kovind held talks with his Surinamese counterpart Desire Delano Bouterse. President Kovind, who is on a three-day visit to the Latin American country, announced that India will extend concessional financing of USD 20 million for setting up a solar project to provide clean energy to a cluster of 49 villages in Suriname.
India will also extend a Line of Credit of USD 27.5 million to support a power transmission project in Pikin Saron area and another Line of Credit of USD 3.5 million for maintenance of Chetak helicopters.
The president also received the Ratification Instrument of Suriname joining the International Solar Alliance from Bouterse. India also agreed to assist Suriname to establish a Centre of Excellence in information technology. A MoU to take forward this project was signed.
Besides, the two sides also concluded four MoUs in the fields of elections, diplomatic academies partnership, employment for spouse of diplomats of the two countries and archives. Suriname invited Indian investment in areas such as agriculture, mining, energy and timber.
Addressing the National Assembly of Suriname, Kovind, who arrived here on June 19 on the second leg of his three-nation tour to Greece, Suriname and Cuba, said development cooperation, under the rubric South-South cooperation, is an important pillar of Indo-Surinamese relations.
“Paramaribo and New Delhi are almost 14,000 km apart. Yet, despite this trans-oceanic gap, our countries have much in common. Both Suriname and India are multi-cultural, multi-religious and multi-ethnic democracies,” Kovind said.
Speaking on the climate change, he added, “This is an international concern, a foreign policy issue – and yet, for the people of Suriname it is a deeply-felt existential challenge. I must commend your country for its enlightened approach to climate change. You have shown a determination that even much larger and wealthier nations have shied away from.”
India and Suriname also agreed to enhance cooperation to promote Ayurveda and other traditional medicinal systems of both countries.
Original source: MoneyControl
Published on 21 June 2018