Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez on the sidelines of the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to explore opportunities for enhancing bilateral cooperation across a range of sectors.
According to an official statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the two leaders held productive discussions on expanding collaboration in key areas such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, traditional medicine (including Ayurveda), and digital public infrastructure, with a particular focus on platforms like the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
The discussions also touched upon cooperation in disaster management and capacity building, with both sides agreeing to deepen engagement in these critical areas. They also shared perspectives on addressing global challenges, especially those concerning the Global South, such as public health, pandemic preparedness, and climate change.
The MEA spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, posted on X (formerly Twitter):
“PM Narendra Modi met with President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez of Cuba on the sidelines of the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Both leaders exchanged views on various facets of the India-Cuba relationship, including economic cooperation, pharma, biotech, Ayurveda, UPI, disaster response, and capacity building.”
The meeting reaffirmed India and Cuba’s commitment to multilateral cooperation and highlighted their shared interest in leveraging technology and traditional knowledge systems to foster inclusive development.