Capacity Building & Other Exchanges

• In early 1990s, India supported Cuba in the form of aid when it was passing through severe economic crisis. A 5Kw solar power plant was donated to Cuba under Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation in 1995. It was followed by a one-time post commissioning spare parts support worth around US$ 650 thousand.
• Government of India granted an aid of US$ 2 million in cash as disaster relief assistance to Cuba in the wake of massive devastation caused by the hurricanes ‘Gustav’, ‘Ike’ and ‘Paloma’ during August and September 2008. In 2008, Government of India wrote off the principal and interest of US$62 million debt owed to India. The donation was a measure of solidarity towards the friendly people of Cuba. Later in 2016, in the aftermath of Hurricane ‘Mathew’, India announced donation of medical supplies worth USD 1 million. Government of India approved an aid of US$ 150,000 as an emergency financial assistance to Cuba aftermath the Hurricane ‘Irma’ in September 2017.
• For the development of agriculture and food security, 60 tractors and other agricultural equipment, worth around US$ 6,25,000/-, were donated by Government of India. Euro 100 million was given as short-term loan by Government of India in June 2022 for procurement of rice from India by Cuba, which was fully utilized by July 2023. 166,945 MT of rice was supplied under this.
• The other dimension of our cooperation is the soft loan by way of Line of Credit (LoC) for developmental projects in Cuba on agro-food and energy security.
• The LoC of US$ 2.71 million for Bulk blending fertilizer Plant in Cienfuegos was signed in November 2014. The project was completed in 2019, and plant is used for blending NPK fertilizers for agricultural use.
• The LoC of US$ 5.05 million for Modernization of injectable products plant in Havana was signed in November 2014. The project is near completion. Once completed, the plant will help Cuba meet the domestic demand of the veterinarian pharmaceutical products and lower the imports dependency, which would have positive effects on the financial balance as well.
• Three of the total five LoCs, to the tune of US$ 235.30 million, are in renewable energy sector to assist Cuba’s energy security. These projects are in different tendering/DPR stages. The LoC of US$ 90.30 million for setting up a 50 MW co-generation power project at the Sugar Mill "30 de noviembre" in Artemisa province was signed in April 2018. After initial assessments, the project has now been adjusted for 35MW. The LoC of US$ 70 million for Setting up a 51 MW wind energy farm in Holguin was signed in April 2018. And the LoC of US$ 75 million for Installation of 75 MWp photovoltaic Solar parks in Cuba was signed in July 2019. Under the solar energy project, solar parks will be installed in different locations across the Cuba to fulfill the energy needs of the communities.
• As part of capacity building trainings, nearly 783 professionals from Cuba have been trained in India under ITEC since 2002. Of these, 312 professionals have been trained just in the previous 9 years since 2014-15.
• In addition, several courses organized by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service have benefited Cuban citizens and diplomats over the years.
• India donated an IT Centre – India Cuba Knowledge Centre- to Cuba for two years in 2006 and later extended it for another year.