Cuban envoy on how Che Guevara's meeting with Nehru began India-Cuba ties
Juan Carlos Marsan Aguilera, Ambassador of Cuba in India, recalled that it was after Revolutionary and former Cuban Industries Minister Che Guevara's meeting with the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru during his visit to India that diplomatic and bilateral relations between the two nations kick-started and have been kept alive.
"The first visit to India by a senior Cuban leader was paid by Che Guevara in July 1959, just months after the Cuban revolution. During this visit, he met PM Nehru three times, and they agreed to open diplomatic bilateral relations between the two countries. This relationship has been alive," Aguilera told ANI.
The Diplomat further stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel spent over 30 minutes discussing efforts to enhance political relations between the two nations and to strengthen economic, commercial, and financial ties.
"Recently, in July on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Brazil, Prime Minister Modi, and Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel spent more than 30 minutes talking about how to continue enhancing not only the political relations but also the economic, commercial, trade and financial relations between our two countries," Aguilera said.
He added that efforts were being made to cooperate in crucial sectors that could benefit the two nations, including health, education, agriculture, and digital public infrastructure.
"There are some important sectors in which we would like to continue cooperating, such as biotechnology, health, education, agriculture, energy, and digital public infrastructure. So we are concentrating on how to continue growing the bilateral exchange between India and Cuba that could be in favour of both countries," Aguilera said.
Speaking about an event organised to commemorate Revolutionary and former Cuban president Fidel Castro's ninth death anniversary, the Diplomat highlighted his contributions in furthering bilateral relations with India.
"We organised a talk about the life of Fidel Castro because we are commemorating the ninth (death) anniversary of Fidel. We catered to many people who had the experience of meeting Fidel and were also close to the Cuban solidarity movement. They talked about their experiences with the contribution of Fidel to the bilateral relations with India and also to the global south and the international community," he said.
Aguilera listed Castro's contribution in extending solidarity to those fighting for their liberation. He highlighted Fidel's role as a leader in the Non-Alignment Movement (NAM).
"Fidel was not only a leader of the Cuban revolution, but an international leader. He made many contributions, trying to show a path to real liberation for the people. Fidel contributed a lot by extending solidarity to people fighting for their freedom and self-determination. He was a leader of the Non-Alignment Movement (NAM)," he said.
"Fidel visited India in 1973 and 1983. On both occasions, he was able to show solidarity to India and its people," he added.
