Guyana's President Mohamed Irfaan Ali visits Taj Mahal

Agra (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 11 (ANI): President of Guyana Mohamed Irfaan Ali on Wednesday visited the Taj Mahal, Agra, while on his visit to India.
The Taj Mahal, a white marble mausoleum, is one of the seven wonders of the world.
The South American nation's president arrived in India on January 8 to attend the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention, the Ministry of External Affairs said in the media advisory.
During his visit to India from January 8-14, the President will visit six cities, Delhi, Indore, Bengaluru, Kanpur, Agra and Mumbai, the MEA advisory said.
The Guyanese President arrived at the Taj Mahal amidst the beating of drums and specially organised dance performances. The President was seated in a minivan which took him and the other delegates to a programme marked with dance performances.
Ali then went to the Taj Mahal, clicked pictures and inspected the monument's marble.
Ali was the Chief Guest at the 17th edition of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) scheduled to be held in Madhya Pradesh's Indore from January 8-10.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held wide-ranging discussions with the Guyanese President and Suriname President Chandrikapersad Santokhi on the margins of the PBD Convention.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), PM Modi and Guyana's President held comprehensive discussions on a wide range of issues, including energy, infrastructure development, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, technology and innovation, and defence cooperation.
"Deepening ties with our CARICOM partner. PM Narendra Modi met President Mohamed Irfaan Ali of Guyana in Indore on PBD 2023 margins. Discussed furthering bilateral cooperation in diverse sectors, with a focus on energy, infrastructure, defence, healthcare, technology and innovation," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.
According to the MEA statement, both leaders recalled the 180-year-old historical bonds of friendship between the people of India and Guyana and agreed to deepen them further.
India has been leading the way in technology, renewable energy, and sustainable development, said Guyana President Mohamed Irfaan Ali as he vouched for bilateral cooperation in several areas.
In an exclusive interview with ANI, Guyana's President said he plans to position his country as a regional food and energy security leader. He also added that Guyana wishes to play the role of the regional player within the Caribbean and Latin American region.
He underlined the potential to enhance cooperation with India, saying his visit to the country is to engage with the Indian government and strategize on important areas. (ANI)