Development of interregional cooperation

Official diplomatic relations between the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of India were established on April 17, 1992, and already on December 5, 1997, the Embassy of Belarus in India was opened for the first time in New Delhi. The development of bilateral relations between the two states necessitated the expansion of the diplomatic mission, which led to the decision to open a Consulate General of the Republic of Belarus in Mumbai.

    The official opening of the Consulate General took place on August 4, 2022, in the presence of the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, S.F. Aleinik, and the Secretary of the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection of the Government of Maharashtra, V. Waghmare.

    The first Consul General of the Republic of Belarus in Mumbai is  Aliaksandr Matsukou, appointed to this position by Resolution No. 807 of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus of November 21, 2023.

Since receiving the exequatur, the Consul General's activities have been aimed at further developing bilateral relations between the two countries and establishing contacts with the leadership of the states within the Consulate General's consular district to foster interregional cooperation:

2024:

On March 19, 2024, the Consul General of the Republic of Belarus in Mumbai,  Aliaksandr Matsukou, held a meeting with the Governor of the State of Maharashtra, Republic of India, Ramesh Bais. The meeting addressed issues of interregional ties, trade and economic cooperation, and interaction in the fields of culture and education.

On April 3, 2024, Consul General  Aliaksandr Matsukou met with the Additional Chief Secretary – Chief Protocol Officer of the General Administration Department of the Government of Maharashtra, Manisha Patankar-Mhaiskar.

On April 19, 2024, the Consul General of the Republic of Belarus in Mumbai,  Aliaksandr Matsukou, held a meeting with the Governor of the State of Goa, Republic of India, Sridharan Pillai. The meeting was held as part of efforts to expand regional ties between the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of India. Discussions covered trade and economic cooperation and interaction in tourism, culture, and education.

2025:

On February 18, 2025, the Consul General of the Republic of Belarus in Mumbai,  Aliaksandr Matsukou, held a meeting with the Minister of Protocol and Marketing in Agriculture of the State of Maharashtra, Jaikumar Rawal. The meeting addressed issues of interregional ties, trade and economic cooperation in agriculture, and tourism interaction.

On March 11, 2025, the Consul General of the Republic of Belarus in Mumbai,  Aliaksandr Matsukou, held meetings with the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the State of Maharashtra, Rahul Narvekar, and with the Chairman of the Legislative Council of the State of Maharashtra, Ram Shinde.

On March 27, 2025, the Consul General of the Republic of Belarus in Mumbai,  Aliaksandr Matsukou, held a meeting with the Secretary of the Government of Maharashtra for Industries, P. Anbalagan. The meeting addressed issues of interregional industrial ties, trade, mutual investment, and technology exchange in industrial production.

On June 3, 2025, the Consul General of the Republic of Belarus held a meeting with the Governor of the State of Maharashtra, C.P. Radhakrishnan, as part of efforts to expand regional ties between the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of India. The meeting also discussed cooperation in industry, agriculture, tourism, culture, and education.

On June 12, 2025, Consul General A. Matsukou met with the Governor of the State of Tamil Nadu, Republic of India, Ravindra Narayana Ravi, and on June 17 – with the Governor of the State of Telangana, Jishnu Dev Varma. The parties discussed ways to intensify interregional ties and mechanisms to strengthen cooperation in industry, investment, agriculture, tourism, culture, and education. The meetings were held as part of efforts to expand regional ties between the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of India.

On October 27–29, 2025, the Consul General of the Republic of Belarus in Mumbai,  Aliaksandr Matsukou, met with the Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Vice-Chairman of the Island Development Agency, Admiral Devendra Kumar Joshi. The meetings addressed issues of delivering goods from Belarus to India under sanctions, as well as tourism opportunities for citizens of the Republic of Belarus in the Republic of India and for citizens of the Republic of India in the Republic of Belarus.

On April 7, 2026, the Consul General of the Republic of Belarus in Mumbai,  Aliaksandr Matsukou, held a meeting with the head of the representative office of the Ministry of External Affairs of India in Mumbai – Regional Passport Officer Mr. Swapnil Devidas Thorat. During the meeting, the parties discussed visa and migration issues, as well as matters related to healthcare, tourism, and culture.

On June 3, 2026, Consul General A. Matsukou held a meeting with the head of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, Dr. Sanjay Mukherjee. The meeting discussed opportunities for interaction between Belarusian enterprises and organizations with the Development Corporation on issues related to the development of Mumbai's urban metropolitan infrastructure.

On June 17, 2026, the first Belarusian-Indian Business Forum was held in Mumbai at the World Trade Centre, bringing together more than 270 guests from the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of India. The event was attended by the Consul General of the Republic of Belarus  Aliaksandr Matsukou and the Deputy Minister of the Government of Maharashtra for FDI, Diaspora, and International Activities, Avinash Solvat. The forum was organized by the Mogilev branch of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Mumbai-based company T-Trading, with the support of JSC ASB Belarusbank and the International Chamber of Investment and Business. 

The Belarusian delegation included companies representing the food, woodworking, and automotive industries, as well as those offering investment, banking, and trade opportunities for Indian and Belarusian businesses. During the event, the economic potential of both countries was showcased, and B2B negotiations were held. A number of documents were signed to intensify bilateral economic relations. 

In continuation of the dialogue, on June 18, 2026, a delegation of Belarusian enterprises and organizations held a successful meeting with the leadership and members of the IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The event was attended by Consul General  Aliaksandr Matsukou and IMC President Sunita Ramnathkar. The IMC Chamber was founded in 1907, is the oldest Chamber of Commerce in Mumbai, and unites around 400,000 members. 

The forum generated great interest in Indian business circles and was a great success.

On June 27, 2026, a group of Indian children (19 teenagers) and their accompanying adults from Nawalgarh (Rajasthan) arrived at Minsk National Airport to participate in a health, recreation, and cultural leisure program at the National Children's Educational and Health Centre “Zubrenok”. The session lasted from June 27 to July 3, 2026. 

The trip was organized at the invitation of the President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko and the Government of the Republic of Belarus. 

During this period, the young ambassadors of friendship not only rested and improved their health but also embarked on a fascinating journey into the world of Belarusian traditions and culture. The visit program included a health course at the children's camp, as well as visits to landmarks and the most interesting places in Belarus.