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Home , Bharrat Jagdeo, Shankar Dayal Sharma

- RELATIONS (GENERAL)

The Commission of India was established in Georgetown in May 1965. The Commission was made into a full-fledged High Commission of India in 1968. The Indian Cultural Centre was set up in 1972. The relationship between India and Guyana ever since the independence of Guyana in May 1966 has been close and cordial with a high degree of understanding. The warmth in the relation remains unaffected with changes in governments either in India or in Guyana. Late Shrimati , the then , visited Guyana in 1968, late Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma, the then Vice visited Guyana in 1988 and Shri , the then came on a state visit to Guyana in 2006. India and Guyana all along view each other as strategic partners and cooperate in the international arena where there exists a clear convergence of views on issues of mutual interest. Guyana, however, closed down its Mission in India in 1990 due to economic reasons, but reopened it in 2004. President Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo made a state visit to India in 2003 and in 2004; President Jagdeo was the Chief Guest at the 2nd Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebrations and received the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award. In October 2012, Prime Minister Mr. Samuel Hinds visited India to attend International Seminar on Energy Access held in and also had meetings with Prime Minister Dr. . President visited India from 30th January to 2nd February 2013 to attend the Delhi Summit (DSDS) organized by The Energy Resources Institute (TERI), India. During his visit he also had a meeting with the President of India Mr. . The formal structure of relationship comprises a bilateral joint commission at the ministerial level, the fourth session of which was held in Georgetown in May 2008, periodic consultations between the foreign offices, the third round of which was held in Georgetown in July 2011, cultural exchange programme and a joint business council between the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI). The cooperation between the two countries in sharing developmental experience is mainly routed through Indian Technical & Economic Cooperation (ITEC) under which fifty scholarships are granted every year in various courses. Besides, some experts are also deputed to Guyana from time to time on request in specified areas of activity. Several other scholarships are also available to Guyanese to pursue long-

India has offered credit facilities to Guyana for use in mutually accepted designated fields, agriculture and information technology, being two of these. Indian companies have also expressed interest in bio fuel, energy, minerals and pharmaceuticals. Total trade turn over remains low, though the trend is positive and encouraging. Love for cricket is another area that binds the two countries intimately. A number of Guyanese players have been playing in the IPL for the last few years.