Diplomatist: Excellency, by the time this interview is published, it will have been a year since your appointment as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Republic of India. What are your impressions of working in the country?
Ambassador: Working as an Ambassador over the past year has been incredibly intense and interesting for me. Every time I visit new states or meet with government and business representatives, I find and discover something new here. And this is not surprising, because India is a country with a rich culture and diverse traditions, and sincere and positive Indians will not leave anyone indifferent. As you know, people and culture are the main values of any state, by which one can judge its originality and self-sufficiency. In this regard, India is a truly rich country.
It must be said that over the past 10 years, your country has undergone significant changes in all spheres of life, demonstrating impressive growth and development. India has become a global economic power with a dynamically developing market. Today it ranks fifth among the world’s largest economies, behind only Germany, Japan, China and the United States of America, but it is already predicted to rank third in this ranking.
I am sure that the country has managed to achieve such results in such a short period of time, thanks to the hard work of the Indian people and the competent governance of the country. Both of these facts can equally be attributed to my native Belarus. The hard work of people, a responsible attitude to business, peace and stability in society, social guarantees of the state, with a responsible position of the authorities in relation to their citizens are common features of the policies of our states.
During this year, we have managed to establish high-quality contacts with the leaders of India at both the federal and regional levels, as well as with Indian businesses. We see that there is a real mutual interest and, therefore, prospects for the development of bilateral cooperation in all areas. Last year, mutual support of the countries in the international arena continued, including India’s support for Belarus’s application to join the SCO as a full member of the organization and a partner country in BRICS, participation of our President A.G. Lukashenko in the 3rd Voice of the Global South Summit at the invitation of the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, the official visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus to India, a meeting of the heads of the Parliaments of our countries, as well as numerous contacts and negotiations at the sites of international organizations.
Diplomatist: In what areas and spheres, in your opinion, is there a reserve for further growth of economic cooperation between Belarus and India?
Ambassador: India has been our reliable trading partner for many years, and mutual deliveries are carried out for a wide range of products. Belarusian manufacturers export the most popular goods and equipment in India to the Indian market, in turn, Indian companies supply us with pharmaceutical raw materials, fruits, rice, tea and much, much more, known for their quality. Our trade relations traditionally complement each other, rather than compete with each other. We have made significant progress in implementing a number of significant projects in production cooperation with Indian businesses, both in India and Belarus. Moreover, this is not only about organising joint productions, but also about technology transfer, supplying raw materials and unique equipment for enterprises.
In the sphere of cultural interaction, this year we are working on holding Days of Belarusian Culture in India with subsequent reciprocal holding of Days of Indian Culture in Belarus. Cooperation in the field of film production is strengthening. There is the first Indian film shot in Belarus. Our film “Black Castle”, the presentation of which took place this year at the International Film Festival of India in Panaji, also received high marks.
But we do not stand still and are constantly looking for new points of mutual interest for qualitative growth and increasing the effectiveness of cooperation between our countries.
One of the significant reserves of our cooperation is tourism. Not only the simplification of the visa regime for Indian citizens, but also the direct air service between the capitals of our countries, which has been in effect since mid-2023, should contribute to the increase in the mutual tourist flow of residents of our countries. The rich cultural heritage of India, as well as traditional Belarusian hospitality, should become points of attraction and development of contacts between ordinary people.
Currently, the dates for the Belarusian-Indian Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation are being worked out. It is scheduled to take place in 2025 in Minsk together with a forum with the participation of businessmen from our countries. The events will give an additional positive impetus to the further development of our relations in the designated areas.
Diplomatist: The Republic of Belarus has recently acquired the official status of a partner country in BRICS. Please accept my congratulations on this significant event.
Ambassador: Thank you.
Diplomatist: How do you assess the prospects for Belarus’s participation in BRICS?
Ambassador: The main goal of this interstate association can be called the development of economic cooperation, strengthening political ties between the participating countries and promoting reforms in international financial institutions.
The status of a partner country in BRICS opens up additional opportunities in terms of international trade and investment, as well as access to resources, technologies and joint projects within the organisation.
In addition to economic and political aspects, joining BRICS will create new opportunities for social and cultural exchanges. Within the framework of BRICS, student exchange programs, research projects and scientific initiatives are actively developing. Partner countries, like full participating countries, gain access to these programs, which will contribute to the improvement of the skills of young people, the development of scientific potential and integration into the global scientific community. And cultural ties with countries such as India will open up new horizons for Belarus in the sphere of joint projects in the field of art and mass culture.
As the President of our country, Aleksandr Lukashenko said, “Belarus is joining BRICS with specific ideas and projects designed to help solve universal problems.” We believe that the geographical location of Belarus in the centre of Europe, its experience and achievements, will expand the boundaries of the possibilities of the association, making it more universal and comprehensive.
Belarus’s receipt of the status of a BRICS partner country is another important step in the foreign economic policy of our country, which opens up new horizons for economic development and strengthens the existing comprehensive ties with India.
Diplomatist: Thank you, Ambassador. We wish you a pleasant and productive tenure in India.
Ambassador: Thank you.
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