Foreign Affairs Minister Highlights Support from India

The Government of India has consistently supported Jamaica’s development efforts, says Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith.

Speaking at the 76th India Republic Day reception, held on Sunday (January 26) at India House, 2 East King’s House Road, in Kingston, Minister Johnson Smith said that, to date, more than 400 Jamaicans have received specialised training in various fields, including agriculture, security and technology, through the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme.

She highlighted India’s contribution to the development of sports in Jamaica, particularly in cricket, while noting that contributions have included the provision of cricket equipment and floodlights at Sabina Park in Kingston.

“Over the years, our bilateral relations have grown stronger, with cooperation in areas such as capacity development, culture, sports, climate-related matters, renewable energy and digital transformation,” the Minister noted.

The Senator said that over the last seven decades, India has become a global leader in agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure development, science and technology as well as space exploration.

“As a most ardent voice of the global south, India has also emerged as an advocate for the needs of developing countries, demonstrating its commitment to advancing global cooperation and equity,” Senator Johnson Smith said.

She noted that the two countries have enjoyed strong people-to-people ties, shared principles and mutual respect over the 62 years of diplomatic relations.

In his remarks, the High Commissioner of India to Jamaica, His Excellency Mayank Joshi, spoke of the progress India has made over the past 75 years, describing the nation as a “Vishwa Bandhu – a friend to the world”.

“The vision of India is to become a developed economy by 2047, traversing through a period of transformative growth and development – a period called ‘Amrit Kaal’,” he pointed out.

High Commissioner Joshi also touched on the collaboration between Jamaica and India, outlining several ongoing and upcoming initiatives.

These include the proposal for a cricket score board for Sabina Park, 60 tonnes of humanitarian aid relief for Jamaica, and collaboration in areas such as defence, healthcare, education, and digital public infrastructure.

He also mentioned the ongoing community development project in Kitson Town, being implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with financial assistance of US$1 million from India.

The event, organised by the High Commission of India, was attended by government ministers, academia, businessmen, prominent Indians in Jamaica and friends of India.

It also featured Indian dances, music and cultural performances, in association with Mudra Art Group and Anjali Dance Group of Kingston.