0
0
New Delhi, March 17 (IANS) – Cuba has expressed a strong desire to expand its collaboration with India in the fields of Ayurveda and naturopathy, as announced by the Ministry of Science and Technology on Monday. This development occurred during a meeting commemorating the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations held in New Delhi.
The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in various scientific domains, including medical research, vaccine development, and sustainable biomanufacturing. “India and Cuba reaffirmed their commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation in science and technology, particularly in biotechnology and biomanufacturing,” stated the Ministry.
Discussions revolved around enhancing existing agreements in health, medicine, and biotechnology, building upon previous partnerships in traditional medicine, homeopathy, and broader scientific collaboration. “Given Cuba’s growing interest in Ayurveda and Indian naturopathy, both nations expressed optimism about expanding engagement in this sector,” the Ministry added.
It is noteworthy that Cuba inaugurated its first Ayurveda Center for holistic and preventive healthcare in Havana in November 2019, with support from India’s Ministry of Ayush.
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, emphasized the importance of collaborative research for a science-driven society. “Collaborative research is indispensable for a science-driven society to have a global influence at scale,” he said. He highlighted that partnering with global leaders and pursuing targeted research would elevate India’s scientific community.
Dr. Singh also acknowledged the Department of Biotechnology’s (DBT) significant contributions in addressing socio-economic and environmental challenges through collaborative research, and its pivotal role as the nodal agency for the G20 Initiative on Bioeconomy (GIB). “DBT played a key role in defining the bioeconomy framework within the GIB, contributing policy measures such as Lifestyles for Sustainable Development (LiFE), the BioE3 Policy, and the National Biofuels Policy,” he stated. These initiatives, he noted, align with India’s vision of Green Growth and a Net-Zero carbon economy.
Cuba’s Deputy Prime Minister, Dr. Eduardo Martinez Diaz, shared insights into Cuba’s biotechnology achievements, particularly in developing affordable vaccines and pioneering cancer treatments. He also expressed Cuba’s focus on biomanufacturing and interest in collaborating with India to advance research and production capabilities. Dr. Diaz extended an invitation to Dr. Singh to lead an Indian delegation to Bio-Habana 2026, a global biotechnology conference.
Disclaimer: This news article is based on information provided by the Ministry of Science and Technology. Further developments may occur, and the information presented here should not be considered as a definitive statement of future outcomes.
