India offers US$500M credit facility to Guyana for healthcare, defence, roads

Guyana is expected to receive a US$500 million credit facility from India to support key development projects across areas such as infrastructure, healthcare innovation, and defence.
This announcement was made by the Indian Minister of External Affairs of India, Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, during the recent signing of three major bilateral agreements between Guyana and India.

Minister Jaishankar and President Dr Irfaan Ali inked the cooperation agreements on Wednesday in Antigua and Barbuda on the side-lines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
During the engagement, the External Affairs Minister announced India’s extension of the US$500 million new Line of Credit (LOC) to support Guyana’s development priorities and infrastructure projects.
“I’m very pleased to share that following discussions between our Governments, India has decided to extend a line of credit for $500 million to Guyana, which would cover the segment of roads, of health and of defence. We look forward to developing projects under those lines of credit,” Jaishankar posited.
The Indian Minister went on to laud the strong bilateral ties between the two countries, telling President Ali, “It’s been really wonderful working with your Government. I think [in] many of our projects today, we have seen delivery, and I’m very sure that the steps that we have done today will have a meaning for the lives of your people and indeed for our relationship.”
On the other hand, President Ali says he had production discussions with the Indian Minister with emphasis placed on strengthening the longstanding partnership between Guyana and India and advancing cooperation in key areas of mutual interest.
According to the Guyanese Leader, since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Guyana nearly two years ago in November 2024, there has been real and tangible interventions, including human capital development, infrastructure development, transfer of technology, health services and environmental services.
This US$500 million credit facility, according to Ali, marks the next phase of investment by India into Guyana’s development.
“The $500 million line of credit will cover transformative infrastructure, including roads that would lead to the opening up of thousands of new homes and house lots, main highways; defence and security, which is important; and, of course, health,” the Head of State said.
He further noted that this financial support will allow Guyana to embrace Prime Minister Modi’s health initiative in terms of providing affordable medication, the transfer of technology, and the integration of healthcare services.
In fact, the President pointed out that Guyana is already benefitting from India’s innovation in healthcare.
“We were the first to use your robots in Guyana and use your technology… India has led innovation globally, and today, through this agreement, we will unleash the power of innovation and create that synergy and partnership between our own innovators in Guyana and your innovators, especially in new technology, new systems, and accelerating development,” the Guyanese leader stated.
Only last week, it was reported that the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has successfully completed 100 robotic-assisted surgical procedures since the launch of its robotic surgery programme on May 26, 2026.
Robotic-assisted surgery allows surgeons to use advanced technology to help perform operations with great care and accuracy. The surgeon remains in control of the robotic system throughout the procedure.
Guyana had acquired the “Mantra Freedom 60” robotic surgical system from India-based company SS Innovations International Inc. On May 26, internationally renowned cardiac surgeon Dr Sudhir Srivastava conducted the world’s longest distance robotic surgery – 20,000 kilometres via fibre optic cables – from the GPHC on a patient in India.
Since then, trained Guyanese practitioners have conducted 100 procedures across three medical specialities: general surgery (47), urology (19), and gynaecology (34).
The GPHC says it will soon begin training additional surgeons in these specialities to use the robotic surgery system, which will help build local expertise and provide patients with modern surgical care.
Meanwhile, this new US$500 million credit facility is not the first of its kind that Guyana has received from the Indian Government. Over the years, Guyana has benefitted from several loans and lines of credit from India towards infrastructure, healthcare and education development, including the cricket stadium, traffic lights in Georgetown and the supply of 14 irrigation drainage pumps.
Among some of the projects that the Indian Government has either fully or partially funded in Guyana are the US$50 million Ogle to Eccles Highway, which links the East Coast and East Bank Demerara corridors; the US$17.50 million modernisation of the Bartica, West Demerara and Suddie Hospitals; the acquisition of the US$18 million passenger ferry vessel, MV Ma Lisha; the setting up of an IT Centre of Excellence at the University of Guyana; and the procurement of two Dornier 228 planes for the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) under a US$23.27 million deal.

Source: Guyana Times