India Extends $500 Million Line of Credit to Guyana for Roads, Healthcare and Defence Projects

Honorable External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Guyana President Dr Irfaan Ali on 5 November 2026, on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in the Antigua and Barbuda. The leaders reviewed their bilateral cooperation and discussed the digital public infrastructure, including the functioning of a UPI-like payment system in Guyana. Jaishankar also announced an extension of the USD 500 million Line of Credit (LoC) for the projects like roads, healthcare and defence projects, alongside agreements covering manufacturing and development assistance.

India-Guyana Agreements and Areas of Cooperation

During the meeting, India and Guyana signed agreements covering three major areas,

• Manufacturing projects: An agreement for the supply and installation of MSEs manufacturing projects.
• Quick Impact Projects (QIPs): Grant assistance for implementing Quick Impact Projects in Guyana.
• Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): Cooperation on digital public infrastructure and the functioning of a UPI-like payment system in Guyana.

The agreements aim to strengthen development cooperation and expand India’s role in supporting Guyana’s digital and infrastructure development.

India Extends USD 500 Million Line of Credit to Guyana

India announced an extension of a USD 500 million Line of Credit for projects in Guyana. The credit will support development in the key three sectors,

• Roads and infrastructure
• Healthcare
• Defence

A Line of Credit is the financial arrangement under which one country or institution provides financing to the another country for the specified purposes. In this case, the announced extension is intended to support Guyana’s development projects.

UPI-Like Digital Payment System in Guyana

India and Guyana also discussed cooperation in Digital Public Infrastructure and the functioning of a UPI-like payment system in Guyana.

The initiative reflects India’s efforts to share its digital public infrastructure experience with partner countries. The Unified Payments Interface (UPI), developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), enables instant digital payments between bank accounts.

The proposed cooperation is part of the broader India-Guyana partnership in digital technology.

Role of Narendra Modi’s 2024 Visit in India-Guyana Relations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Guyana in November 2024. During the visit, India and Guyana strengthened cooperation in Digital Public Infrastructure and discussed support for farmers, particularly smallholders.

Jaishankar’s meeting with President Irfaan Ali reviewed progress in bilateral cooperation since that visit.