Prime Minister Narendra Modi held key meetings with the top leaders of several Caribbean nations on the sidelines of the second India-CARICOM Summit in Georgetown. Discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations and exploring new avenues of cooperation in areas like healthcare, trade, climate change, and digital transformation.
Strengthening Ties With Barbados
Prime Minister Modi met with Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley on Wednesday, during which Mottley announced that her government would confer the Honorary Order of Freedom of Barbados on Modi on November 30, 2024. This award recognizes Modi’s leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic and his efforts to strengthen India-Barbados relations.
Also Read: Prime Minister Modi Conferred With Guyana’s Highest Civilian Award
In their meeting, both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further cooperation, particularly in the fields of health, pharmaceuticals, and collaboration at the United Nations. “This high-level engagement allowed both leaders to review ongoing cooperation and reaffirm the strong bond between India and Barbados,” said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.
Meeting With Antigua And Barbuda’s Prime Minister
Prime Minister Modi also met Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne. Modi congratulated Browne on successfully hosting the 4th Small Island Developing States (SIDS) conference. Both leaders discussed matters related to trade and investment, capacity building for SIDS, and climate change action. Browne expressed strong support for India’s permanent membership of the UN Security Council.
Collaboration With St. Lucia
On the sidelines of the summit, PM Modi also met with St. Lucia’s Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre. The two leaders discussed enhanced cooperation in education, healthcare, cricket, and yoga. They emphasized the need to strengthen bilateral ties between India and St. Lucia, noting their shared commitment to mutual growth and collaboration.
A Special Meeting With Dominica’s President
Prime Minister Modi also met with Roosevelt Skerrit, the President of Dominica, who recently awarded him the country’s highest honor for his contributions during the pandemic and his efforts in strengthening the India-Dominica relationship. Both leaders discussed future cooperation in areas such as climate resilience, healthcare, capacity building, and expanding people-to-people ties.
Strengthening Ties With Suriname And Trinidad & Tobago
In a significant meeting with Suriname’s President Chan Santokhi, the two leaders reviewed the progress of their bilateral partnership, with a focus on economic cooperation. They agreed to expand cooperation in areas such as defence, security, trade, agriculture, digital initiatives, and traditional medicine. Modi and Santokhi also discussed further collaboration on people-to-people exchanges and capacity building.
Modi also met Prime Minister Keith Rowley of Trinidad and Tobago. He congratulated Rowley on adopting India’s UPI platform and discussed further strengthening relations in digital transformation, healthcare, defence, maritime security, transportation, and cultural exchanges. During their meeting, the leaders witnessed the exchange of an MoU to establish Integrated Automatic Fruit and Vegetable Primary Processing Activities in Trinidad and Tobago.
Bahamas And Grenada: Strengthening Economic Ties
Prime Minister Modi also held a “fruitful” discussion with Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Davis, focusing on strengthening economic ties, tackling climate change, and enhancing green partnerships. The two leaders also exchanged views on the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign.
In his final meeting on the summit’s sidelines, Modi met Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell. He congratulated Mitchell on the successful conduct of the second India-CARICOM Summit and discussed development cooperation in areas like education, ICT, healthcare, food security, and sustainable development.
Guyana: A Landmark Visit
On his arrival in Guyana, Prime Minister Modi became the first Indian head of state to visit the country in over 50 years. He met with Guyana’s President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, where they reviewed bilateral development cooperation in sectors like agriculture, skill development, education, energy, and pharmaceuticals. Modi emphasized India’s continued support for Guyana in infrastructure, shipping, technology, and more. He also praised Guyana’s support for global initiatives like the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.
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