Indian Council of World Affairs

Honorable Ambassador, Ms. Vijay Thakur Singh,

Ambassador Simancas,

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I will begin where the Ambassador ended, i.e. mentioning Fidel Castro's longest speech. So I was just talking to myself and I said I'm going to be the shortest, because most of the bilateral relationship that we've shared over a period of 60 years, and celebrating 50 years of Fidel Castro's last visit to this country, the technical aspects of it have been spoken both by Ambassador Vijay Singh and also Ambassador Simancas. But what I wish to share is the meeting with the President of Cuba, President Bermúdez. We use some time, you know, in politics, I feel that politicians have an innate capacity to observe people and understand even non-verbal symbols. And the non-verbal symbol was that of friendship and warmth. And that is remembering and commemorating Fidel Castro, that his visit would have given Indians hope, friendship, and that continues in the hearts and minds of Indians even till date. And that's the feeling I got when I met the President.

When I met the Speaker of the House, I met so many other ministers, including Foreign Minister and the Culture Minister, this strand of friendship and warmth continued. And I want to share that with everyone present in the audience today, that the warmth and friendship which Cubans have for India is something we all look up to, and I want to exchange the same, that Indians have a same feeling and thought towards all Cubans. We have stood by them at all levels. We continue the same friendship.

And the last visit was also relevant because last visit of the President, the iconic President Fidel Castro was about handing over the presidency of Non-Aligned Movement to India. And that was, I was not in college at that time, I was still in my last year of school. And I have those memories, I have all those pictures in my mind. So with a lot of ideas when you're growing up, you observe a lot of history, and all that comes back to you when you achieve a certain age, and all that is coming back to me. Thus, I remember that Moringa Seed also, which was taken by the then President to Cuba, is adorning every household today. So Moringa stood as a test of friendship and all the goodness that India has to offer. So goodness India has to offer is even medicine which is little sweet and bitter in taste. So Moringa became a household plant in Cuba because President asked the biotechnologists and scientists to understand the aspects, the medicinal aspect of this plant and use it both in the culinary aspect and also formulations, the pharmaceutical formulations. Unfortunately, Indians have been using it for, I don't know how many centuries, age old, centuries after centuries, prehistoric till now. But we never credited the plant with all the dues that that plant deserves. So the credits came from Cuba, by the way. And I must recognize Cuba for that, for understanding the hidden value that Moringa had to offer and that the seed of friendship also gets translated into the pharmaceutical biotechnological cooperation between the two countries.

And even during my meeting, I met several ministers, including the one in Commerce and Trade, the Economy Minister. And the idea was to expand the friendship into more mundane and material aspects of life, that how we can both benefit from each other by setting up joint ventures, by working together. And another aspect since most of you are from the policy, I would say CDRI is another thing which we should work on, that this Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure becomes very relevant, which India is leading. And with all the sustainability goals which are being challenged on a daily basis, and we know how climate change is impacting everyone's life, that's another aspect where we both can benefit mutually from each other's experience. And I know Cubans have done some really good work in this particular field, and they should become part and members of this particular coalition because it will become relevant not just from the Caribbean perspective, which Cuba always works in, but across the globe we also end up getting benefited because considering our expanse as a country, east and west and north and south, something or the other is happening at some end or the other. So we must work together on CDRI as well.

And renewable energy, of course, the ISA, International Solar Alliance, is a huge success. But I want to add, just looking at Cuba, that maybe biofuel is something which we have recently started. Biofuel is also another aspect which we should work on, and that will benefit because as long as humans exist, the organic waste also exists. And whether it's from the fields or otherwise, and especially with their sugarcane production and capacity to generate organic waste, I think biofuel is another aspect where we should all work together, and with scientific and other developments, these aspects will benefit both countries.

And I would encourage everyone to visit Cuba. As Ambassador said, the beaches in Havana are great. I'm sure there are some very good hotels, and AYUSH Center, by the way, in Cuba is super. It's really good. Those who haven't visited must visit. That's recommended, because I did visit that place. The warmth and affection of the people is one aspect, but India has set it up, but Cubans are running it, and they are as Indians as you and me. So it'll be a good experience if people choose to visit even the AYUSH Center. These are my impressions which I carry from Cuba. These are the areas which I would request everyone to work on in terms of collaboration and working together. Of course, I'm not getting into the line of credit, rice, etc. I don't wish to get into those aspects. Both ambassadors have spoken about it, but these are some ideas which I think we can work together for mutual benefit and building up our relationship. Of course, the G77 presidency of Cuba and G20 presidency of India, working together in multilateral institutions and also working for the reforms of the multilateral institution is a way forward, is the goal forward, which we both countries should enjoy working together. With these words, thank you very much, and my best wishes to India-Cuban relationship and friendship. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat.

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