New Delhi, May 2 (IANS) ​India will issue grant assistance worth up to Rs 12 crore to Ecuador over a period of five years for the implementation of socio-economic development projects in the South American nation, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated on Saturday.

Ecuador’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility, Gabriela Sommerfeld Rosero concluded a two-day official visit to India this week, marking a new chapter in the strengthening of bilateral relations between the two nations, the MEA highlighted.

Sommerfeld and External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on April 29 signed and exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding Indian grant assistance for the implementation of Quick Impact Projects (QIPs).

During their meeting, both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation in multiple areas, including healthcare and pharmaceuticals, agriculture, trade and investment, digital technology, cultural relations, capacity building, and cooperation in multilateral institutions.

Sommerfeld handed over formal letters marking Ecuador’s decision to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA). A roadmap for a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) between the two countries was discussed during Sommerfeld’s meeting with the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal. They also discussed scaling up Indian pharmaceutical exports to Ecuador and supply chain partnerships for critical minerals like copper and gold, the MEA detailed.

During Sommerfeld’s meeting with Union Health Minister JP Nadda, discussions were held on advancing bilateral health cooperation, specifically focusing on affordable healthcare solutions and high-end medical systems.

Discussions also centred on establishing an institutional technical mechanism to advance various initiatives, including the recognition of the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) by Ecuador to exchange information and promote regulatory cooperation, with the aim of strengthening bilateral relations in the field of medical products.

The two sides also agreed to have an MoU on Health Cooperation between the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the counterpart Ministry in Ecuador, stated MEA.

Sommerfeld also visited Jan Aushadhi Kendra at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi and compared the cost of medicines in India and Ecuador while exploring the introduction of a similar model in Ecuador, to ensure affordable medicines for the people of the country.

UPI-like payment systems, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), digital unique identification systems like Aadhar, and AI cooperation in Ecuador were also explored by Sommerfeld, inspired by India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).

Ecuador’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Alejandro Davalos also accompanied Sommerfeld on India visit.

–IANS

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