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After successfully completing his United States trip, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla arrived in Suriname and met Paramaribo's Speaker Marinus Bee and members of Parliament.
Taking to Twitter, Birla said, "Feeling pleased by warm welcome accorded by Mr Marinus Bee, Speaker, National Assembly & MPs on arrival in Suriname today. Suriname & India share warm-long standing cultural links going back over a century. Looking forward to a fruitful exchange of ideas with Surinamese leaders." India enjoys close, warm and friendly relations with Suriname, reinforced by cultural and people-to-people contacts bridged by the Indian Diaspora's arrival dating back to 148 years. During the COVID situation, the Indian government provided life-saving drugs and protective gear worth USD 1,00,000 to Suriname as a token of solidarity on July 22, 2020. Even in March of 2021, India donated 50,000 doses of Made in India Covishield vaccine to Suriname, as a gesture of solidarity. Trade and economic links between India and Suriname remain modest. Indian export to Suriname consists of boilers, machinery, iron and steel, electrical machinery & equipment, sound recorders, pharmaceutical products, textiles, vehicles, coffee, tea and spices, rubber, paper, tobacco, organic chemicals, furniture, carpets, ceramic products, footwear and printed books. And Indian import consists of wood, aluminum, textiles, herbal products, garments, spices, and electrical machinery. Before visiting Suriname, OM Birla made his trip to the US, where he interacted with Harvard University and MIT students. "Had the opportunity to be at @Harvard & @MIT during my visit to #USA. Interacted with faculties & students there. Impressed by the thrust of the universities towards research & innovation. The way they have integrated academics with industry & service sector is laudable," Lok Sabha Speaker said in a tweet. After Cambridge, Birla visited Boston, where he interacted with the Indian students and Indian diaspora. Taking to Twitter, Birla said"Addressed members of Indian Diaspora in Boston. Shared India's successful journey in development in last 75 years & recent initiatives to make India a developed country by 2047. Today, World listens when India speaks. Other countries are looking up to India's development model." "Mentioning that they are a strong link in the Indo-US relations, urged them to contribute and encourage investments to their motherland. Could see a spark in their eyes which speaks of their urge to engage in India's journey of development," he added. At the end of the day, OM Birla said that he concluded his US visit with a sense of satisfaction. "The emphasis placed by the GoI on development & good governance has created an opportunity to reinvigorate bilateral ties & enhance cooperation. Hopeful that regular exchange of high-level visits will provide sustained momentum," he added. (ANI)
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