India sends $1 million worth of machinery to Suriname to boost passion fruit industry
"Strengthening India-Suriname development partnership. Machinery to support the development of the passion fruit industry, under the grant of USD 1 million, was dispatched today to Suriname. Development Partnership between India and Suriname continues to grow."
The Indian Embassy in Suriname also highlighted that the grant would contribute to the development of the country's markoesa (passion fruit) industry.
"Today the machines were shipped to Suriname, under a donation of US$ 1 million, to support and develop the markoesa industry. Development cooperation between India and Suriname continues to grow," Indian Embassy in Suriname said in a post on X.
Earlier on November 21, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met Suriname's President Chandrikapersad 'Chan' Santokhi on the sidelines of the 2nd India-CARICOM Summit in Georgetown. The two leaders reviewed the progress of the India-Suriname partnership and discussed ways to enhance cooperation across various sectors.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "PM @narendramodi met President @csantokhi of Suriname on the sidelines of the 2nd India-CARICOM Summit in Georgetown. Both leaders reviewed progress on - partnership and emphasised the importance of strengthening economic cooperation. They agreed to expand bilateral cooperation in areas including defense & security, trade & commerce, agriculture, digital initiatives including UPI, ICT, healthcare, traditional medicine and pharmaceuticals, capacity building, human resource development, cultural and people to people engagements."
Prior to that, India on November 17, 2024, sent the first consignment of about 425 MT of foodgrains and other edible items to Suriname for its Social Welfare Programme.
"Advancing India-Suriname ties! Fulfilling India's commitment to support Government of Suriname through supply of food grains and other edible items for their Social Welfare Programme. 1st consignment of approx 425 MT left India today for Paramaribo," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Muscat Daily
10 hours ago
- Muscat Daily
Oman, China explore deeper ties at Salalah forum
Salalah – The third Omani-Chinese Friendship Forum was held in Salalah last week focusing on strengthening strategic partnership and expanding avenues of cooperation and investment between Oman and China. Organised under the theme 'Chinese Modernisation and Oman Vision 2040: Our Work and Proposals', the forum was a joint initiative of Al Roya newspaper, the Chinese Embassy in Oman and the Oman-China Friendship Association. It brought together officials, experts and specialists from both countries. H H Sayyid Marwan bin Turki al Said, Governor of Dhofar, inaugurated the forum and felicitated participants and speakers. H E Dr Saleh Said Masan, Undersecretary for Commerce and Industry at Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, described the forum as a 'unique opportunity to exchange expertise and explore promising investment areas that serve the development priorities of both countries.' H E Lyu Jian, Ambassador of China to Oman, said relations between the two countries have remained strong for over 1,200 years, with diplomatic ties formally established in 1978. 'Our cooperation has been stable and fruitful, built on mutual respect and equality.' He added that China is Oman's top trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching US$36.7bn in 2024. China is also among the top five foreign investors in Oman. 'Our collaboration includes the launch of the first Omani satellite, joint energy investments and training programmes that have benefited over 1,200 Omanis.' The ambassador noted that trade between China and the GCC reached US$288bn in 2024, with Chinese investments increasing by more than 30% in the first half of 2025. He called for more cultural cooperation and the introduction of direct flights between Oman and China. Dr Khalid Salim al Saidi, Chairman of Oman-China Friendship Association, said it plays a 'vital role in strengthening ties beyond formal meetings'. He added that its work now includes building cultural bridges and informal cooperation initiatives based on mutual values. Naif Hamed Fadhil, Head of the Dhofar branch of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the forum is 'important for bringing business owners closer and enabling bilateral investment in energy, technology, industry, logistics and tourism'. He called for the development of sustainable and impactful cooperation models. The forum featured discussions on four core themes: Chinese Modernisation and Oman Vision 2040, Energy Sector Cooperation, Innovation and Technology Partnerships, and Cultural and Humanitarian Exchange. It also included a photo exhibition in collaboration with the Chinese Embassy and B2B meetings between companies from the two countries. More than 30 representatives from Omani and Chinese firms took part, with a dedicated exhibition showcasing Chinese businesses. The forum aimed to reinforce strategic ties and explore new collaboration areas aligned with Oman's development priorities, while drawing from China's experience in economic and social modernisation.
Observer
12 hours ago
- Observer
Hong Kong seeks to broaden its economic relationship with Oman
MUSCAT, AUG 2 Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China, is in pursuit of establishing a strong business and trade relationship with GCC countries, including the Sultanate of Oman. Speaking to the Observer recently, Simon Chan, Director-General at the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Dubai said, "My office, as the official representative of the Hong Kong government in GCC, has been working with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Investment Promotion (MOCIIP) and the Oman Investment Authority (OIA) to help businesses from both sides to coordinate on investment and project financing opportunities. The volume of merchandise trade between Hong Kong and the Sultanate of Oman is around US$200 million. "We see the Sultanate of Oman in parallel with the GCC, which has a common goal when it comes to economic development by promoting investment. Hong Kong is open to trade agreements with the GCC, as well as bilateral agreements individually with any of these six countries, including the Sultanate of Oman." He was recently in the country to visit government institutions and companies, and promote Hong Kong's trade relations with Oman. He also attended a ceremony where OIA's Future Fund Oman (FFO) and Hong Kong-based private equity firm Templewater formed a US$200 million energy transition fund to spur investment. The fund will invest in strategic sectors such as clean molecules, green data centres, energy storage, smart mobility, and renewable energy, including solar and wind. It will also focus on industrial innovation, energy efficiency, and scalable technologies tailored for Oman and regional markets. During the visit, Chan and his team were also in touch with the national logistics company, Asiad, which has forged special trading relationships with big Asian markets like China and India. "We can provide them easy access to the Asean market and even within China itself. Hong Kong's unique advantages under the 'one country, two systems' principle will certainly provide arrangements that could facilitate international companies based in Hong Kong to do business not only in Hong Kong, but also in various cities in China." The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) is a regional grouping of 10 states in Southeast Asia to promote economic and security cooperation among its ten members: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. It is among the fastest-growing regions in the world, and also Hong Kong's second-largest trading partner. Omanis can benefit from investment in Hong Kong as it is a pro-business economy with regulations friendly and simple for both overseas companies and individuals. Hong Kong ranks as the world's freest economy by the Fraser Institute, and the world's third most competitive economy by Switzerland's IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook. "We have a one-stop service free of charge for investors, including help in opening a bank account, setting up office premises, and registration for any government procedures. The stock market in Hong Kong is very transparent, and the common law system and the international arbitration institution, in case of any disputes for companies that are new to Hong Kong. It may be noted that the passport holders of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) can visit Oman visa-free for a stay of up to 14 days, a move that will help strengthen the tourism, cultural, and economic ties. Omani citizens do not need a visa to enter Hong Kong for a limited period, which is around 30 days, but travellers need to ensure their passport is valid for at least six months beyond their intended stay in Hong Kong. As merchandise trade between Hong Kong and GCC amounted to over US$19.86 billion in 2024, Hong Kong sees GCC as one of the important regions of the Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to facilitate connectivity and unimpeded trade, promote people-to-people bonds, and advance financial integration and regional cooperation.
Observer
16 hours ago
- Observer
India reels from the shock of Trump's onslaught
NEW DELHI — President Donald Trump's new list of tariffs on half the world's countries sent the United States' trading partners scrambling to understand how their businesses will be affected. India got the bad news a day earlier — its goods face a tariff of 25% or more — but the extra time was hardly enough to adjust to the fresh chaos. Indian negotiators had not expected to conclude a meaningful deal in time to meet Trump's revised deadline of Aug. 1. But they did expect to be treated as well as their neighbors, and to keep haggling with U.S. officials until October or November, when Trump was invited to visit India as part of the Quad defense group, which brings together four big democracies — India, the United States, Japan and Australia — with a shared interest in standing up to China. Instead, they were fed a heap of insults and injuries. Along with the 25% rate, one of the highest in Asia and only a point lower than what was threatened on 'Liberation Day' in April, India was informed that its existing trade barriers are 'strenuous and obnoxious'; it will be charged an untold penalty for buying Russian oil; it is a 'dead economy.' It's archrival Pakistan was praised and promised an oil exploration deal. Hurt feelings aside, the results are confusing. Two of the biggest categories of exports to the United States from India are personal electronics, worth about $14 billion a year, and pharmaceuticals, worth $10 billion. Rajesh Sharma, executive director of India Cellular and Electronics Association, said smartphones were exempted from these tariffs; so did executives at pharmaceutical companies. But on Friday, after reading the executive order, the Global Trade Research Initiative in New Delhi concluded the opposite. India's stock markets dipped on the news for two days running. Indian and international banks wrote notices warning that the country's generally hard-charging economic growth is likely to slow measurably as a result of the tariffs. Then there are the unknown tariffs. On July 6, Trump wrote that countries aligned with the BRICS group, of which India is a founding member, would incur an additional 10% penalty. Then on July 14, he said that, if Russia didn't make peace with Ukraine within 50 days, he would punish its trading partners with 'secondary tariffs' of 100%. That figure is making Indians worry anew. Trump added 'plus a penalty' to the 25% rate imposed on India, for buying Russian oil and weapons. Shashi Tharoor, a prominent member of the opposition, spoke to an Indian news agency about the possible impact. 'There's even talk of a 100% penalty,' he said, 'which will destroy our trade with America.' There is evidence that Indian buyers of Russian oil were already pulling back before the executive order. 'Indian refiners have reduced Russian crude purchases this week,' said Sumit Ritolia, an analyst at Kpler, which tracks shipping and commodities. They were already 'looking to further diversify, amid rising concerns over potential U.S. sanctions,' having spent years taking advantage of discounted Russian oil to reduce their imports from the Persian Gulf. Reducing the United States' trade deficit is one of the Trump administration's goals, so persuading India to buy more American oil and gas would make sense. Last year, India exported $45.7 billion more goods to the United States than it imported. It spent about three times as much importing oil. If a third of that were redirected to American sources, their bilateral trade would be evened out. Trump's angry barrage of social media has complicated further negotiations. The breakdown of trust between Narendra Modi, India's prime minister, whom Trump called his 'true friend,' the U.S. president is likely to make it harder to complete any deal, analysts say. Indian news outlets have reported that Trump wanted to iron out some outstanding issues, after four rounds of direct talks between the two sides, in a phone call with Modi. The Indian government was anxious to avoid any of his last-minute surprises. The U.S. commerce secretary accused India of 'slow-rolling' its trade negotiations. Indian officials and analysts say the friction is caused by a fundamental difference of approach. Trump has a penchant for quick, top-down dealmaking. India's bureaucracy moves at a methodical pace, especially when it comes to opening up the agriculture market, which is politically sensitive. India's recently concluded trade deal with Britain took three years of talks, under two British prime ministers. On Friday, India's Foreign Ministry released a statement that put on a brave face. 'India and the United States share a Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership,' established in 2013 between President Barack Obama and then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, 'anchored in shared interests, democratic values and robust people-to-people ties.' The ministry stuck to principles, revealing no plan for breaking through Trump's hard line. 'This partnership has weathered several transitions and challenges,' the statement said. 'We remain focused on the substantive agenda that our two countries have committed to and are confident that the relationship will continue to move forward.' This article originally appeared in
