Paramaribo, May 6: Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar arrived in Suriname on Wednesday as part of his three-country tour. He was warmly welcomed by his counterpart, Melvin Bouva.
On social media platform ‘X’, Jaishankar expressed his excitement, stating, “I have arrived in Paramaribo for my first visit to Suriname. I am truly overwhelmed by the personal welcome from Foreign Minister Melvin Bouva. I eagerly await our discussions tomorrow (Thursday).”
In another post, he emphasized, “India does not see Suriname as a distant partner; we view it as family. As we look to the future, this enduring relationship will inspire us to deepen our multifaceted cooperation.”
During this visit, Jaishankar also shared an article published in the ‘Times of Suriname’ on social media.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Jaishankar will engage in several bilateral talks with Suriname’s leadership aimed at enhancing cooperation between the two nations. He will subsequently travel to Trinidad and Tobago, following his earlier visit to Jamaica.
During his inaugural bilateral trip to Jamaica, which marked the first such visit by any Indian Foreign Minister, he provided ten ‘Bhishma’ emergency medical units to the Caribbean nation. Jaishankar also met with Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness.
The Ministry noted that these countries share a special connection with India, primarily due to the presence of ‘Girmitya’ communities.
The term ‘Girmitya’ refers to Indian laborers who left India to work in British colonies from the mid to late 19th century, many of whom eventually settled there. The word ‘Girmit’ is derived from ‘Agreement,’ referring to the contract under which these laborers migrated.
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