New York, September 24 (Daily Kiran) : India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Thursday that during the recent Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (FMM) with CARICOM in New York, the nation reiterated its commitment to enhance global relationships. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly.
Co-chaired by India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Suriname’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade, and Cooperation Melvin W.J. Bouva, the gathering served as a follow-up to the second India-CARICOM Summit, which will be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Guyana in November 2024.
During the discussions, the co-chair of the 15-member CARICOM group expressed their decision to support India’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the 2028-29 term.
The meeting included foreign ministers from Barbados, Dominica, The Bahamas, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Haiti, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Antigua and Barbuda, along with Grenada’s Finance Minister and the CEO of Belize’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The MEA released a statement indicating that both parties expressed satisfaction with the ongoing progress in cooperation between India and CARICOM nations. They discussed deepening political engagement, boosting trade and investment, and collaborating on agriculture and food security, digital governance, climate resilience, and energy cooperation.
The statement further noted that CARICOM partners appreciated India’s assistance in the region and its efforts to promote South-South cooperation. Both sides agreed to continue working together on international platforms, addressing global issues such as UN reform, climate change, terrorism, and international crime.
Minister Jaishankar thanked CARICOM leaders for their trust and support, assuring them that India would remain a strong voice for the Global South. After the meeting, he emphasized on social media the need to strengthen ties, particularly in economic, digital, and connectivity sectors.
Jaishankar highlighted that many of the small and medium enterprise (SME) projects India committed to have been completed in various Caribbean nations, while others are still in progress. He also mentioned that India has organized camps for organ transplants and provided hemodialysis units to some CARICOM countries, alongside offering compact medical devices known as ‘Bheeshma Cube’.
He encouraged CARICOM nations to take advantage of the training opportunities offered by India and expressed willingness to tailor programs based on their interests.
The Caribbean Community, commonly known as CARICOM, includes countries with significant populations of Indian origin, such as Suriname, Trinidad, and Guyana. Like many others, India’s history in the region is marked by colonialism.
In discussing India’s assistance to CARICOM nations, Jaishankar noted its role in promoting solar power initiatives in the area. He urged these countries to consider joining the International Solar Alliance and the Global Biofuels Alliance.
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