MOGILEV, 18 October (BelTA) – Mogilev will set up an Indian culture center and will join the International Yoga Day in 2018, Mogilev Oblast governor Vladimir Domanevsky said as he met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India to Belarus Pankaj Saxena, BelTA has learned.
The parties noted that joint humanitarian and cultural programs and the project to set up the Indian center which will promote Indian culture and cuisine of the South Asian countries will contribute towards the strengthening of relations between India and Mogilev Oblast. The parties also considered arranging a painting plein air event and the India cinema days in Mogilev.
According to Vladimir Domanevsky, the relations between Mogilev Oblast and India have been developing quite rapidly. Over the past three years, there has been a steady increase in trade. In 2016 it went up by 22%. In January-August of this year alone the growth was already 23% as against with the same period of 2016. “It shows the mutual interest of the two parties in cooperation. The potential is far from being exhausted,” the governor emphasized. In his opinion, Mogilev Oblast and India need to bolster economic ties. There is all prerequisites for that as well as the interest of business circles. “Using available technologies and experience in various industries, we can set up joint ventures and promote the goods to the EU countries and other states,” the governor noted. For example Mogilev Oblast would like to set up pharma facilities with the participation of Indian capital and technologies and to promote bandaging materials made by the local Lenta company, Bobruisk-made tires, Mogilev textile and foodstuffs.
The head of the region also suggested establishing the relationship between Mogilev Oblast and one of the Indian regions and also selecting sister cities in India for Mogilev and Bobruisk. “Practice shows that the interregional interaction has certain advantages and can be a highly effective tool to implement joint initiatives,” Vladimir Domanevsky said.
According to the ambassador, Belarus and India have no serious issues in the bilateral relations. New impetus for economic cooperation came with the visit of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to New Delhi in September. “We see good prospects for the development of investment cooperation, the establishment of joint ventures and expanding contacts in education, medicine, culture and tourism. I am also very pleased that more Belarusians show interest in the culture of India. Last year alone the embassy issued over 7,000 visas to citizens of Belarus, the diplomat noted.
He supported the governor's initiative to promote interregional cooperation and assured that he would make all efforts to help establish contacts between Mogilev Oblast and one of the Indian regions. Ambassador Pankaj Saxena also promised to help organize a visit of a representative business delegation of India for the international investment forum due in Mogilev in June 2018.
During his two-day visit, the Indian Ambassador got acquainted with the economic potential of the region, met with representatives of the local business community and visited the Mogilev company Tekhnolit and the Mogilev Free Economic Zone.