New Delhi, June 2 (IANS): A 90-tonne consignment of nine 'Made in India' Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) left for Cuba from the Mundra port operated by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ), on Sunday.

The APIs, part of India's humanitarian assistance to Cuba, will be used by the Cuban drug manufacturers to produce essential antibiotics in the dosage form of tablets, capsules, syrups and injections, needed for treatment of chronic communicable diseases.

"The assistance reaffirms India's status as the 'pharmacy of the world' and underlines our commitment to historic friendship with Cuba," stated the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

India has been granting disaster relief assistance to Cuba in the wake of devastation caused by various hurricanes over the years and also during the Covid-19 pandemic.

New Delhi donated 524 boxes of life-saving medicines to Cuba in November 2020 and supplied rice under short-term credit arrangement during 2022-23.

India has also extended five Lines of Credit to the tune of $243 million to the government of Cuba in the agriculture, agro-food, and renewable energy sectors.