On November 20, 2024, the Prime Minister of India, the Hon. Narendra Modi, is set to meet with representatives from fourteen CARICOM countries in Georgetown, Guyana. This gathering marks a significant milestone as it is the first standalone summit involving the Heads of Government from CARICOM and India hosted in a CARICOM member state.
The summit is anticipated to enhance the existing cooperative relationship between the two entities, particularly in the areas of economic collaboration, agriculture and food security, health and pharmaceuticals, as well as science and innovation.
The Opening Ceremony will include remarks from several dignitaries: the Chair of CARICOM and Prime Minister of Grenada, Hon. Dickon Mitchell; the President of Guyana, H.E. Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali; the Prime Minister of India, Hon. Narendra Modi; and CARICOM Secretary-General, Dr. Carla Barnett.
The last opportunity for a meeting between the CARICOM Heads of Government and Prime Minister Modi occurred in 2019 during the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). During that occasion, discussions were held regarding cooperation in renewable energy and climate change, supported by a US$150 million credit line from India.
Reflecting on the importance of this upcoming summit, Ms. Elizabeth Solomon, Assistant Secretary-General for Foreign and Community Relations at the CARICOM Secretariat, stated, “India is an important global actor. Our Member States are keen to meet Prime Minister Modi and develop deeper technical relationships, deepen the relationship in terms of advocacy for small states in the international arena, and strengthen people-to-people ties.”
Although CARICOM Member States have fostered longstanding connections with India, the formalization of relations as a bloc began in 1985 with the signing of an Agreement on Scientific and Technical Cooperation. In 2003, a CARICOM delegation led by Hon. K.D. Knight, then Chairman of the Community Council and former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica, visited India to sign an Agreement that established a Standing Joint Commission for Consultation, Cooperation, and Coordination between CARICOM and India.
The first CARICOM-India Foreign Ministers meeting took place in 2005 at the Sixteenth Inter-Sessional Meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government Conference, where the Ministers explored potential areas for collaboration. Following this, the inaugural meeting of the CARICOM-India Joint Commission in June 2015 identified several key cooperation sectors, including agribusiness development, food security, health, small business development, marine development, fisheries, and disaster management.
The relationship between CARICOM and India has been upheld through the Joint Commission, political interactions at various levels, and multilateral efforts within the frameworks of the United Nations, the Commonwealth, the Group of 77, and the Non-Aligned Movement.
Watch them come in in droves now.