Dominican Republic's Vice Minister of the Presidency Strengthens Bilateral Ties and Cooperation in India
Delhi - During his work visit to New Delhi, José Ramón Holguin Brito, Vice Minister of the Presidency of the Dominican Republic, undertook a series of strategic engagements aimed at enhancing bilateral relations and fostering collaboration in science, technology, and disaster resilience. The visit, which commenced on April 22nd, was marked by high-level meetings, participation in key conferences, and the signing of important agreements.
Upon his arrival, Vice Minister José Ramón Holguin was warmly received by Ambassador David Puig. The agenda began with at visit to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, where the Vice Minister held productive discussions on academic exchange initiatives. He also toured the IIT Delhi Innovation Lab, exploring potential areas for collaboration in technological research and development.
The Vice Minister represented the Dominican Republic at the 5th Governing Council meeting of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), a pivotal platform where the Dominican Republic advocates for the interests of Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Accompanied by Ambassador Puig and Minister Counsellor Fernando Chavez, the Vice Minister underscored the importance of global cooperation in building resilient infrastructure to mitigate the impacts of natural disasters.
The following day, Vice Minister José Ramón Holguin visited NITI Aayog, India’s premier policy think tank, where he was received by Director Urvashi Prasad. The meeting focused on exchanging ideas related to the Atal Innovation Mission and exploring potential areas of collaboration between NITI Aayog and the Dominican government, particularly in fostering innovation and development.
A key highlight of the visit was the Vice Minister's attendance at the CDRI Fellowship Convening and Convocation 2024, held at Bharat Mandapam. As a special guest, the Vice Minister, alongside Dominican Republic CDRI fellow Nicolas Azcona, Ambassador Puig, and Minister Counsellor Chavez, emphasized the importance of international collaboration in building a sustainable and disaster-resilient future.
A significant milestone was achieved with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Meteorological Office of the Dominican Republic (ONAMET) and the Indian Meteorological Department. The MoU was signed by Ambassador David Puig on behalf of Gloria Ceballos, Director of ONAMET, in the presence of Vice Minister of the Presidency of the Dominican Republic José Ramón Holguin Brito, the Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Dr. M. Ravichandran and the Director of the Indian Meteorological Department, Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra. The MoU will facilitate cooperation in areas such as early warning systems, capacity building in meteorological predictions, and satellite data analysis. This agreement represents a step forward in strengthening scientific cooperation between the two nations.
The Vice Minister concluded his visit with a courtesy meeting with Jaydeep Mazumdar, Secretary (East) of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. During the meeting, both parties reflected on the growing engagement between India and the Dominican Republic, reaffirming their commitment to deepening bilateral relations across various sectors.