India has announced grant assistance of up to Rs 12 crore to Ecuador over five years for socio-economic development projects, as confirmed by the Ministry of External Affairs. The move follows Ecuador’s Foreign Affairs Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld Rosero’s recent official visit to India, aimed at strengthening bilateral ties between the two nations. During the visit, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Sommerfeld and India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for the implementation of Quick Impact Projects.
Ecuador and India have expressed mutual commitment to enhancing cooperation across various sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, trade, digital technology, culture, capacity building, and multilateral institutions. Ecuador has decided to join the International Solar Alliance and the International Big Cat Alliance, marking significant progress in their collaboration. Discussions also included plans for a Preferential Trade Agreement, scaling up pharmaceutical exports, and supply chain partnerships for minerals like copper and gold.
The visit further saw discussions on advancing bilateral health cooperation, focusing on affordable healthcare solutions and high-end medical systems. Both countries agreed to establish a technical mechanism for initiatives such as the recognition of the Indian Pharmacopoeia by Ecuador to promote regulatory cooperation in the medical products sector. An MoU on Health Cooperation is set to be signed between the health ministries of both nations.
During the visit, Sommerfeld visited healthcare facilities in India to explore cost-effective models for providing medicines in Ecuador. The discussions also delved into exploring UPI-like payment systems, Direct Benefit Transfer, digital identification systems, and AI cooperation in Ecuador, inspired by India’s Digital Public Infrastructure. Ecuador’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Alejandro Davalos, accompanied Sommerfeld on the visit.
