India’s 75th Republic Day celebrations: Guyana acknowledges India’s advances, status as prominent global actor – Min Teixeira

– reaffirms Guyana’s commitment to deepening ‘friendship and collaboration’

– as Indian diplomat lauds “strong, time-tested partnership” between 2 nations

Governance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Gail Teixeira on Friday evening joined the Indian High Commission in Georgetown to celebrate India’s 75th Republic Day anniversary, and used that occasion to laud the leadership role that India plays in the global community.
Delivering the feature address at a reception held at the Pegasus Corporate Suites, Minister Teixeira, currently acting as President of Guyana, noted that India’s Republic Day, which was observed on January 26, is highly significant, especially since the country is now recognised as the largest and one of the mature democracies in the world.
“India’s contributions to global advancement, as well as its profound influence in a variety of fields, have had a tremendous impact worldwide…,” she said.

“Its geopolitical and strategic significance in Asia and beyond adds to its global influence, as the country’s diplomatic activities and collaborations have cemented its status as a major actor in international affairs and multilateral platforms. As a younger developing country, Guyana admires the advances India has made over the decades, and wholeheartedly salutes its status as a prominent global actor,” the minister said.
This, according to Teixeira, was demonstrated recently when the President of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Dennis France, noted India’s absence from the UN Security Council as a permanent member, after serving on the UNSC eight times.
Teixiera posited that Guyana honours the lasting principles of democracy, diversity, and unity that bring the two countries together.
“Guyana and India have had, and continue to have, strong historical and cultural ties; and our diplomatic relations have grown throughout the years through partnership in trade, education, infrastructure, research and technology. Guyana and India share a vibrant cooperation programme that encompasses many projects over the decades, from which Guyana has benefitted greatly,” she stated.

According to the minister, Guyana especially applauds India’s dedication to democratic governance, pluralism, and the rule of law; which, as its major strengths, contribute to its stability and resilience as the largest democracy in the world. She added that the country’s strong democratic institutions and varied civil society have established a strong democratic governance system.
The minister, acting as President, recognised India’s diverse economy includes major industries in information technology, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, manufacturing, and services; but she also pointed to the country’s prowess in innovation, particularly in the fields of information technology, software development, and engineering.
India’s rich cultural history is another area that Teixeira said has helped to strengthen its soft power and global impact. She noted that young Guyanese have been privileged to visit and immerse themselves in the culture of their ancestors through the “Know India Program” (KIP), while others have benefitted from India’s prestigious academic institutions and research centre through initiatives like the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme and the GOAL Scholarship programme.

The minister outlined the many other areas that Guyana benefits from India, such as in infrastructure, agriculture, climate adaptation efforts and defence cooperation.
“Guyana acknowledges India as a friend and a strong strategic partner. And…as we celebrate India’s 75th Republic Anniversary, we reaffirm our commitment to deepening our two countries’ friendship and collaboration. Our common goals of peace, prosperity and development serve as a firm platform for continuing to strengthen our bilateral relations and exploring novel partnership opportunities,” Teixeira has said.
Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr Amit Shivkumar Telang, in his remarks, said India has been committed to working closely with its partners across the globe, especially those in the global south, to provide environment-friendly options through synergistic weaving of developmental needs with innovative and sustainable solutions.
“We consider Guyana and our multilateral partners in the Caricom region as our valuable friends in this process. Guyana, in particular, has been our trusted friend and dependable partner, with a shared vision especially in areas such as food security, energy security and climate mitigation measures. Our historical links with Guyana are deeply cherished, and it is our privilege to be a longstanding developmental partner, as Guyana is on the cusp of a phenomenal economic and developmental transformation,” the Indian envoy posited.
Further, he pointed out that the nearly six-decades-old stable and sustained partnership between the two countries is rooted in shared values of freedom and democracy, nurtured by historical, cultural and people-to-people links.
Dr Telang added that Guyana and India’s bilateral ties would continue to be strengthened as they explore newer areas of cooperation.
“As a representative of the world’s most populous and one of the fastest growing major democracies…I consider it my privilege and honour to contribute my small bit to this strong and time-tested partnership,” the High Commissioner stated.
Dr Telang has said that, at 75, India is a young Republic with a valuable global voice, hence the country considers it a privilege to work with all its partners towards creating a safe, secure and sustainable world for our future generations.
India’s Republic Day marks the adoption of the country’s Constitution on January 26, 1950, after three years of deliberation. (G-8)