GUATEMALA CITY (TIP): The Embassy of India in Guatemala, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Guatemala, commemorated the 53rd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Guatemala with a special celebration on 15 May 2025. The event was graced by H.E. Mr. Carlos Ramiro Martínez the Foreign Minister of Guatemala and Dr. Manoj Kumar Mohapatra, Ambassador of India. The celebration witnessed the presence of approximately 200 distinguished guests. These included members of the diplomatic corps, senior officials from various ministries, prominent dignitaries, business leaders, friends of India, and members of the Indian community in Guatemala.

The celebration highlighted the growing strength of India-Guatemala bilateral ties which are rooted in mutual respect, shared democratic values, and a commitment to global peace and sustainable development. The two countries have maintained close political cooperation through high-level engagements and multilateral collaboration. This anniversary served as a moment to reaffirm the deepening strategic partnership between the two nations, with a focus on expanding collaboration in trade, development cooperation, digital technologies, and infrastructure.

During the event, Ambassador Dr. Manoj Kumar Mohapatra emphasized that the growing India–Guatemala partnership is rooted in mutual respect, shared democratic values, and a forward-looking vision focused on innovation, inclusive growth, and cultural exchange. Foreign Minister H.E. Mr. Carlos Ramiro Martínez welcomed India’s expanding footprint in Guatemala, appreciating its contributions in health, education, technology, and infrastructure, and reaffirmed Guatemala’s commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation.

As part of India’s ongoing commitment to providing holistic humanitarian health assistance, the occasion was also utilized to formally hand over a confirmation letter to the Ministry of Defense of Guatemala for the organization of an artificial limb fitment camp within the Ministry’s premises. The letter was presented by Dr. Prem Bhandari, Chairman, Jaipur Foot USA, to the Executive Secretary of CONRED, Ms. Claudinne Ogaldes and Inspector General of the Army from Ministry of Defense, Mr. William Oswaldo Sierra Sam. The proposed camp is planned to run for approximately 50 days and aims to provide around 600+ prosthetic limbs to the beneficiaries of Guatemala. This initiative will be carried out by a dedicated team from Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS), consisting of seven skilled technicians and two team leaders. The necessary machinery and equipment for the camp are expected to arrive at a Guatemalan port in September 2025, with operations scheduled to begin in October 2025.

Cultural and people-to-people connections continue to serve as a cornerstone of India-Guatemala relations. The Embassy’s efforts in cultural diplomacy have seen great success, notably the International Day of Yoga 2024 celebration at Mariscal Zavala which attracted over 5,000 participants, one of the largest in Americas and probably one of the largest in the world outside India. Building on this momentum, the Embassy, in partnership with the Governor of Cobán, the Ministry of Education, Asociación Centro Don Bosco, and the Municipalities of Talita Kumi and San Pedro Carchá, is organizing what is expected to be the largest-ever IDY celebration outside India. Scheduled to be held in Carchá on 13 June 2025, the event is projected to draw around 12,000 participants, with nearly 10,000 registrations already confirmed. In recognition of the shared values of peace and non-violence, and acknowledging the Asociación Centro Don Bosco’s deep commitment to Gandhian principles, especially in light of its historical experience during Guatemala’s civil war, Ambassador handed over the approval of Government of India for gifting of three busts of Mahatma Gandhi to the Association, which would be inaugurated during the IDY event in Coban.

Economic and commercial ties between India and Guatemala have shown remarkable progress in recent years with a bilateral trade of US$663 million in 2024. India is now among Guatemala’s key Asian partners in trade and investment. Indian companies such as Pakka Inc and various textile firms have made significant investments in Guatemala, generating employment and contributing to industrial growth. BPO companies linked to Indian entities are already employing over 10,000 Guatemalans. India’s multifaceted engagement with Guatemala has witnessed significant developments across various sectors. Indian companies are currently undertaking a feasibility study to explore possibility to open three major data centers in the Central American region, two of which are identified in Guatemala. Another Indian company has committed a substantial investment of USD 150 million in the Petén region for vegetable oil production, contributing to agro-industrial development and job creation. Under the SICA-India cooperation framework, India continues to support Early Warning Systems (EWS) to enhance disaster resilience in the region. Through a collaboration with UNDP, the Open Learning Exchange initiative is targeting education enhancement, reaching one million learners across Guatemala. In a humanitarian gesture, India has donated several Indian generic medicines to municipalities across the country, supporting local healthcare systems.

The Guatemalan Transport Association’s recent visit to India has opened avenues for a transformative public mobility initiative, with a potential order of thousands of buses. In Xela, a USD 1.2 billion urban infrastructure development projects are under discussion, further cementing bilateral cooperation. Recognizing the Ambassador of India’s contributions, the Municipality of Xela conferred its highest civilian honor on him. Earlier this year, the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala participated in the prestigious CII Partnership Summit, further underlining the robust engagement between the two nations.

The Embassy of India has facilitated the formation of the India-Guatemala Chamber of Commerce & Industry to strengthen bilateral trade and investment cooperation. The Chamber aims to serve as a key platform for connecting businesses, fostering partnerships, and promoting economic engagement between the two countries. The successful implementation of a waste-to-energy/ compost project at Oakland Mall has set the tone for sustainable partnerships, with a second project underway at Miraflores, Guatemala City. To promote Indian film Industry and Indian movies in the Central American region, Embassy organized an Indian Film Festival across 20 locations in Guatemala, which was met with widespread appreciation. These collaborations underline India’s commitment to contributing to Guatemala’s development priorities through innovation and sustainable practices.

The event on 15 May served not only as a celebration of the past 53 years of diplomatic ties but also as a reaffirmation of the shared vision for a prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable future for India and Guatemala.

(Based on a press release issued by Mr. Ramesh Khulbey)