Cuba Receives a Shipment of Medicines From India To ‘Recover’ From the 2024 Hurricanes

Last June, the Island received another batch of ingredients from India to make antibiotics

Among the 32 million dollars sent in exports from India to the Island in 2024, pharmaceutical products predominated /X/Randhir Jaiswal

14ymedio bigger14ymedio, Havana, 11 January 2025 — Cuba continues to receive donations from countries that have shown solidarity with the Island after the passage of hurricanes Oscar and Rafael at the end of 2024. This Friday, a shipment of medicines “essential to contribute to the recovery” arrived from India, and the Cuban Foreign Ministry thanked the Government of New Delhi for the “humanitarian assistance.”

Randhir Jaiswal, spokesman for the Indian Foreign Ministry, reported on social network X that the shipment contains antibiotics, antipyretics, analgesics, oral solutions and muscle relaxants. “India’s contribution to the Island shows the close ties of both countries; this year they celebrate the 65th anniversary of their diplomatic links,” added the Cuban Foreign Ministry.

Last June, India sent Cuba 90 tons of nine “active pharmaceutical ingredients” to be used in the production of “essential antibiotics in the form of tablets, capsules, syrups and injections, for the treatment of chronic communicable diseases.”

Indian is one of Cuba’s top 20 trading partners

India is one of Cuba’s top 20 trading partners, and among the 32 million dollars sent in exports to the Island in the 2024 fiscal year, pharmaceutical and chemical products predominated, according to data from the Indian Ministry of Commerce.

Although the last visit at the highest level between presidents dates back to 2018, with the trip to Cuba of then Indian president, Ram Nath Kovind, both countries maintain frequent contact. The Minister of State for Foreign and Cultural Affairs of India, Meenakashi Lekhi, visited the Island in January 2023 to strengthen political dialogue and economic relations with the Cuban regime.

Another important trading partner, China, donated to the Island at the end of December a shipment of parts to repair generators of the national electrical system (SEN). “This Project of Equipment and Spare Parts of Distributed Electric Generators for Cuba of the Chinese Government responds to the consensus reached between Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic of Cuba, and the president of the Asian giant, Xi Jinping, in multisectoral cooperation,” the official press clarified at the time.

According to the Chinese ambassador to Cuba, the delivery is part of a second assistance package aimed at restoring generation capacity

According to Hua Xin, China’s ambassador to Cuba, the delivery is part of a second package of assistance aimed at restoring a generation capacity of 400 megawatts (MW) in more than 70 thermoelectric plants powered by diesel and fuel oil. The donation was 69 tons and “contains radiators, motors and other accessories, while the arrival of other donations for the generation of electricity is expected.”

In the first days of this year, the Island announced the repair of several pieces of SEN equipment and infrastructure thanks to the Chinese donation. On Monday, December 30, the first repaired generator was launched with the help of Beijing, the Chinese ambassador reported.

According to the Minister of Energy and Mines, Vicente de La O Levy, compared to thermoelectric plants, the investment process in distributed generation is much faster and cheaper, since the resources necessary for its operation can easily reach the Island. He also clarified that the State was negotiating the purchase of parts in the international market to put the plants into operation.

Translated by Regina Anavy

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