Telangana, Cuba keen on forging strong ties

IT and Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu and Ambassador of Cuba to India Juan Carlos Marsan Aguilera on Tuesday discussed scope of bilateral collaboration in multiple areas, from biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, Artificial Intelligence, IT, innovation, agriculture, sustainable farming, sports excellence to culture.

The Ambassador accompanied by First Secretary Maiky Diaz Perez met the Minister at the Secretariat here. Mr. Sridhar Babu said the State is prepared to extend support to Cuban startups through technology startup incubator T-Hub, hardware prototyping centre T-Works and women entrepreneurship initiative WE-Hub as well as collaborate in AI-based diagnostics, pharma research and public health data management. He invited the Cuban delegation to visit Genome Valley, which is one of the top seven life sciences clusters globally, to explore opportunities in research, manufacturing and technology transfer.

Emphasising the significance of mutual progress through exchange of skills and expertise and calling for deepening of bilateral cooperation between Telangana and Cuba, the Minister also expressed interest in leveraging Cuba’s globally recognised expertise in boxing and athletics to strengthen the State’s sports ecosystem. The State government is committed to building global partnerships that foster innovation, economic growth and cultural understanding, he said.

Mr. Sridhar Babu also highlighted Telangana’s vision of emerging as a national model for international cooperation and how the State’s innovation-focused policies and world-class infrastructure have attracted global interest and investment.

The Minister’s office, in a release on the meeting, said Mr. Aguilera appreciated the State’s proactive approach and Cuba is willing to work closely with progressive, innovation-driven regions like Telangana. He expressed interest in expanding cooperation across science, technology, healthcare and cultural exchange. Telangana Investment and Promotion Cell Director Madhusudan and Telangana Life Sciences Foundation Director Shakti Nagappan along with officials from the IT and Industries department were present.