Belarus ready to support India in Make in India, Smart Cities initiatives: Envoy Mikhail Kasko

New Delhi [India], May 8 : Belarus envoy to India, Mikhail Kasko extended his country's support for India's "Make in India" and "Smart Cities" flagship initiatives and highlighted the ongoing collaboration in the creation of modern pharmaceuticals between the two countries.

"Belarus and India have successful mutually beneficial cooperation in the creation of modern pharmaceutical productions with the participation of investments from the leading Indian companies such as "Cipla". Currently we are working on establishing joint pharmaceutical production at the scientific and practical centre named after Dr.Yusuf Hamied in Minsk," he said in an interview with ANI.

"Belarus is ready to provide support to the growing Indian industrial cluster, including participation in such programmes as "Make in India", "Smart Cities", and modernization of Indian agricultural sector," he added.

On being asked about the bilateral and trade ties between the two countries, the Belarusian envoy said that both countries have developed a constructive political dialogue and trade turnover is growing every year.

"The cooperation between our countries is characterized by mutual commitment to the implementation of potential of two countries, the desire to work together in pursuit of common goals for the well-being of citizens and to strengthen relations across the entire spectrum of interests," he said.

"We have developed constructive political dialogue. Our countries have a solid legal base, which regulates almost all spheres of interaction. Mutual trade turnover is growing year by year. Cooperation between the business circles of Belarus and India is also active. It is naturally complementing the efforts of the states to develop trade, economic and investment relations," he added.

Highlighting growing tourism between the two countries, he said, "Bilateral cooperation in the sphere of tourism is growing progressively. India is becoming more and more popular among Belarusian tourists. The number of Indians wishing to see Belarusian attractions is increasing every year."

Further extending support to India, Ambassador Kasko reiterated his country's Foreign Minister's joint statement, which he issued during his State visit to India and said that Belarus reaffirms support for India's candidacy for a permanent seat at the United National Security Council (UNSC) and believes in greater representation of developing countries to correct historical injustices.

"The Belarusian side and the Indian side believe that there is a need to reform the United Nations and in particular, the United Nations Security Council to make it more representative of contemporary realities and to respond more effectively to emerging challenges and threats...Belarus reaffirms its strong support to India's candidature for a permanent seat in a reformed United Nations Security Council," the Envoy said citing the joint statement.

"Belarus supports the negotiations on the UN Security Council reform but has always insisted on the progressive, evolutionary nature of such reform - without politicization and confrontation. We support greater representation of developing countries to correct historical injustices, especially in Asia and Africa," he added.

Highlighting its readiness to continue interaction with countries without exception on the issues of UNSC reforms, the Belarus envoy said that his country is guided by the principle of consensus.

"When discussing the UNSC reform, we are guided by the principle of consensus, i.e. when one or another reform model receives unanimous approval. So far, in the current realities, such a consensus is not observed. We confirm our readiness to continue interaction with all countries without exception on the issue of the UNSC reform," he said.

Belarus envoy also commented on the major focus areas that he will target during his tenure and said that his goal would be further strengthen bilateral relations and mutual understanding between the two countries.

"Considering India as strategic partner in the region, my major goal is to further strengthen the friendly bilateral relations and mutual understanding between the Belarusian and Indian nations; promote interaction in political, economic, scientific and technical areas; expand bilateral trade; comprehensively develop the legal basis of Belarus-India relations, ensure close interaction in implementing humanitarian projects," he said.

"We are ready to offer to the promising Indian market a wide range of agricultural and construction machinery, public city transport. We have profound experience in implementing infrastructure projects, such as construction of roads. Economically we have good prospects for the development not only trade cooperation, but also its more complex forms. Belarus is very interested in developing interregional cooperation between Belarusian regions and Indian states and the establishment of twinning ties between major cities. This contributes a lot to the expansion of trade, economic, tourism and educational cooperation and exchanges. Our cities Minsk and Bangalore have long been sister cities - since 1973," he added.

On March 14, Belarus Foreign Minister, who was on India visit, joined the chorus for reforms in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) had said Minsk would support India's call for a permanent seat in the world body.

Addressing a media briefing in the national capital on Wednesday, the Belarussian Foreign Minister stressed the urgency for reforms in the UNSC, adding, "We (Belarus) also discussed this issue and are convinced that UNSC reforms should be facilitated. It is a long-lasting issue which is being discussed within the UN, taking into account the very fragile situation in the world today."

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