Belarus on Thursday, August 4, officially inaugurated the Belarusian Consulate General in Mumbai. On an official visit to India, the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus H.E. Sergei Aleinik, and Secretary of Food, Civil Supply and Consumer Protection Department of the Government of Maharashtra, Vijay Waghmare, participated in the opening ceremony of the Consulate General of Belarus in the city.
Belarus and India have regular high-level political dialogue. The President of Belarus visited India three times and met with the Prime Minister of India several times on the sidelines of various international events. Over the last three decades, Belarus and India improved bilateral interaction in almost every sphere of mutual interest. The two countries have a solid legal base, which regulates almost all spheres of interaction. Mutual trade turnover is growing year by year. Contacts between Belarus and India in the area of scientific, technical and educational cooperation, pharmaceuticals, industry are developing dynamically.
As a global producer of potash fertilisers, Belarus is a reliable partner of India in ensuring the country’s food security.
India-Belarus ties
It is important to note that every year, the number of Indian students receiving higher education in Belarus is increasing. In the current academic year, about 1,000 Indian students are studying in our country, mainly in the field of medicine. An effective mechanism for coordinating bilateral relations is the Belarusian-Indian Intergovernmental Commission for Cooperation in the Field of Economy, Trade, Industry, Science, Technology and Culture. This year, the countries are planning to hold its 11th Session.
In his opening remarks, the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergei Aleinik stated, “Despite significant geographical distance, Belarus considers development of a full-scale cooperation with India among the priority areas of its foreign policy. It is rightly said that the sincerity in relations and the truth in communication – that is about friendship. This is what characterises Belarusian–Indian relations.”
The Consulate General of the Republic of Belarus in Mumbai is considered to be a bridge connecting the Belarusian companies, business circles and people with the heart of India and its main financial center Mumbai. In return it will be a reliable source of information about Belarus, its trade, economic, investment, education, scientific, tourism capacities. Also, it will facilitate the establishment of the interregional ties between the State of Maharashtra and the Belarusian regions that will promote people to people contacts, trade, educational, investment cooperation and touristic exchanges.