DILI, 19 august 2022 (TATOLI) – The President of the Republic Jose Ramos Horta congratulated India, the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and the Indian community residing in Timor-Leste on the occasion of the celebration of the 76th Independence Day of India.
“It’s a great pleasure and privilege to celebrate with you the great day of modern India,” Horta said in his remarks at the celebration of India’s Independence Day, at Novo Turismo Hotel, in Dili, on friday.
Horta said India is one of the most enduring examples of the irreplaceability of democracy.
“I have always had a great admire what India has achieved. How such a country with more than one billion people strikes to always adhere to democracy,” said Horta.
On the occasion, President Horta thanked India for its support to Timor-Leste: “Again, I wish to congratulate India on its Independence Day and I want to say thank you to the Ambassador of India to Indonesia and Timor-Leste for coming again to this country. I hope that in the few weeks or months we can talk to expand our partnership.”
Manoj Kumar Bharti, the Ambassador of India to Indonesia and Timor-Leste said that the relations between India and Timor-Leste date back to the early modern period when Indian Traders traveled to Timor Island for trading.
“India was one of the early countries to establish diplomatic relations with Timor-Leste and represented at its Independence Day celebrations on may 20, 2002, by a high-level delegation led by the then Minister of State for External Affairs,” Bharti said.
India has recently delivered the consignment of 2000 Metric Ton of rice as a gift from the people and Government of India to the people and Government of Timor-Leste.
In addition, a team from the Service for Medicine and Medical Equipment (SAMES) was invited to Jakarta to participate in an event organized by the Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council of India to enable them to gain exposure to the pharma industries of India.
The Embassy of India has recently shared a draft Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation and Collaboration on Broadcasting between PRASAR BHARATI, INDIA, and Radio e Televisão de Timor-Leste.
Bharti stressed that India continues to support Timor-Leste’s developmental path strongly and is eager to cooperate and contribute to Timor-Leste’s task of nation-building, particularly in the areas of training and education. India extends 15 ITEC training slots and 10 ICCR scholarships every year.
Echoing Bharti’s statement on the cooperation of both countries on education, President Horta said Timor-Leste needs Indian support to establish the country’s Informatics Institute of Technology.
“We haven’t had enough eligible candidates for the Indian Scholarship. “I once visited Kerala, and in my conversation with the people there was to bring the Indian IT experts to open an Informatics Institute of Technology here in Timor-Leste. I hope that in the challenge of the digital age, India will support Timor-Leste in the area of ICT.”
Bharti emphasized that India is keen to have MoUs with Timor-Leste in the field of agriculture and other sectors.
He concluded that currently, the bilateral trade between India and Timor-Leste is only US$26 million: “I believe that there is a huge potential in sectors such as Health, Pharma, Agriculture, engineering goods and IT to take trade ties between both countries to new heights.”
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges
