Colombian Vice President and Foreign Minister Marta Lucia Ramirez arrived in New Delhi today to hold bilateral discussions. “Colombian Vice President and Foreign Minister Marta Lucia Ramirez arrive in Delhi with an accompanying business delegation, for extensive engagements covering all aspects of bilateral relations. Special focus on science and technology, vaccine development and biotechnology,” tweeted the Ministry of External Affairs.

“We arrived in India to seal an important alliance that will allow us to produce vaccines in Colombia, thanks to the Mission that we carry out with @MinSaludCol,@MincienciasCo,@PROCOLOMBIACO,@ANDI_Colombia,@IndiaEmbCol,@vaxthera,@UNALOficial, @UdeA, @icesi, @GrupoProcaps, and @AlteaFarma,” tweeted Ramirez.

Both nations have signed alliances with pharmaceutical laboratories to produce COVID-19 vaccines and continue our exploration and use of space.

“#BuenasNoticias On #MisionAIndia,@MinSaludCol and @MincienciasCo have signed alliances with pharmaceutical laboratories, research centers, and the #AgenciaEspacialIndia, to ensure cooperation between Colombia and India, and thus produce vaccines and continue our exploration and use of space #CCE,” tweeted the Colombian Vice President.

Ramirez said that Colombian pharmaceutical production has had an average annual growth of six percent for the last 10 years. “So we will leverage this growth to work hand in hand with India, the world’s largest supplier of vaccines and generic drugs,” she added.

Moreover, Ramirez said that the two nations even signed alliances with research centers to ensure cooperation and continue exploration and use of space. She said that India and Colombia will “strengthen” bilateral relationships. She went on to say that as developing countries, the two nations will strengthen trade and investment with a view to turning Colombia into a “window of progress for the region”.

Meanwhile, last month, the envoy of Colombia praised the Indian pharmaceutical ecosystem and said that it is an example for others to follow. Colombian Ambassador to India Mariana Pacheco expressed her enthusiasm for the Indian pharmaceutical industry. She told ANI, “President and Vice President of Colombia have decided to promote the recovery of the pharmaceutical companies and the pharma industry in Colombia. We are looking at India as an example to follow.”

(With ANI inputs)