H.E. Puig and Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of AYUSH, discuss cooperation opportunities

New Delhi – On the 7thSeptember 2021, H.E. David Puig held a meeting with Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homoeopathy). During the meeting the discussions focused on possible areas of cooperation in the fields of Yoga and Ayurveda, with special emphasis on education and research. H.E. David Puig and Shri Sarbananda Sonowal expressed their reciprocal interest to establish a working program in these fields.

Amongst the initiatives discussed, both sides agreed to work on the integration of Dominican citizens in the Scholarship Program of the Ministry of AYUSH, which funds foreign students for short term as well as for Master and PHD degrees. Ambassador Puig was invited to visit the leading national institutions in the field of Yoga and Ayurveda with campuses across Delhi.

Ambassador Puig stressed that one of the strongest links between the Dominican Republic and India is the dynamic and growing community of yoga practitioners in the Dominican Republic. Many of its members, he noted, have travelled on repeated occasions to India and have had the occasion to discover the depth and richness of Ayurveda, Naturopathy, and other traditional forms of knowledge.

“Our aim is to nurture and strengthen this already existing relation between our two countries, by developing programs that facilitate exchanges of knowledge”, Ambassador Puig said.

He also invited the manufacturers of ayurvedic medicines to consider the possibility to produce in the Dominican Republic, in order to take advantage of the Free Trade Agreements signed by the Dominican Republic with the United States of America and the Central American countries.

Before joining the Narendra Modi Cabinet, in July 2021, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal was the Chief Minister of Assam from 2016 to 2021. Presently, he also holds the position of Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.