DILI, 12 january 2026 (TATOLI) – India reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Timor-Leste’s national development, Ambassador of India to Timor-Leste Shri Madan Kumar Ghildiyal said during a meeting with Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão at the Government Palace in Dili, today.
Describing the meeting as productive, Ambassador Ghildiyal said he briefed the prime minister on a range of initiatives carried out by India in 2025 and reiterated India’s commitment to continuing its support in the years ahead.
India’s assistance includes the provision of 10,000 doses of rabies vaccine to strengthen Timor-Leste’s efforts to combat the disease. The country has also supported Timor-Leste in information and communication technology initiatives throughout 2025.
The ambassador expressed gratitude to Timor-Leste for its strong backing of India’s bid for permanent membership in a reformed and more representative United Nations Security Council.
Ambassador Ghildiyal emphasized India’s ongoing commitment to deepening bilateral relations with Timor-Leste.
Since establishing diplomatic ties on January 24, 2003, the two countries have steadily expanded collaboration. Bilateral relations were further strengthened in 2024, beginning with President José Ramos-Horta’s participation in the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in January 2025, where he met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss cooperation in petroleum, gas, digitalization, and education exchanges.
The diplomatic momentum continued with the historic first state visit of India’s President to Timor-Leste in August 2024. This was followed by the opening of permanent diplomatic missions, with India establishing its embassy in Dili in September 2024 and Timor-Leste opening its embassy in New Delhi in October 2024, signaling mutual commitment to strengthening ties and supporting Timor-Leste’s engagement with ASEAN.
TATOLI
