Georgetown, Guyana – In a powerful reaffirmation of deep-rooted ties and shared democratic values, Prime Minister of Guyana, Brigadier (Retd.) Mark Anthony Phillips, lauded the longstanding India-Guyana relationship during a meeting with the visiting Indian all-party parliamentary delegation on Sunday.
Welcoming the delegation led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, Prime Minister Phillips said:
“There is a very good relationship between India and Guyana. Forty percent of Guyana’s population is of Indian origin. We have a relationship that is over 150 years old… This visit symbolises the strength of the relationship between the two countries.”
Phillips emphasized Guyana’s unequivocal condemnation of terrorism and support for the peaceful coexistence of nations.
“Guyana condemns any act of terrorism. We feel that every nation and people have the right to exist peacefully… We believe in observance of the rule of law.”
He also invited Indian investment, especially in the context of Guyana’s rapidly developing economy due to recent oil and gas discoveries.
“We welcome investments from companies in India. What is important is people-to-people contact. We welcome the visit by Parliamentarians from India.”
Earlier, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo also extended full support to India in its fight against terrorism.
“It was an excellent visit. I assured the delegation that Guyana stands unequivocally with India… All those who perpetrate terrorist activities must be brought to justice,” said Jagdeo, praising India’s outreach through parliamentary diplomacy.
The all-party delegation includes a diverse group of Indian leaders:
- Shambhavi Chaudhary (Lok Janshakti Party)
- Sarfaraz Ahmed (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha)
- G M Harish Balayagi (Telugu Desam Party)
- Shashank Mani Tripathi, Tejaswi Surya, Bhubaneswar K Lata (BJP)
- Mallikarjun Devda (Shiv Sena)
- Taranjit Singh Sandhu, former Ambassador to the US
The delegation received a rousing welcome from the Indian diaspora in Guyana, many of whom expressed pride in India’s firm response to cross-border terrorism.
The visit is part of India’s global outreach following Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack where 26 people were killed by Pak-sponsored terrorists. In retaliation, Indian Armed Forces destroyed terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK, eliminating over 100 terrorists from groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen.
This delegation’s mission is to build international awareness and consensus on India’s zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and to strengthen diplomatic ties with nations like Guyana that share historical, cultural, and democratic bonds.