News Highlights
India – Jamaica relation boosted by visit of the Indian President to Jamaica .
About Visit
- President Ram Nath Kovind the first Indian President to visit the Caribbean country, during which he will hold talks with his counterpart Governor-General Patrick Allen and Prime Minister Andrew Holness on the entire gamut of the multifaceted relationship between the two countries.
- Significance of Visit
- The Presidential visit is happening in the 60th anniversary year of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
| About Jamaica Jamaica is an island country locating in the Caribbean Sea. Marine Border Countries – The British Overseas Territory of the Cayman Islands is located to the north-west of Jamaica, south of Cuba and west of Hispaniola (the island including the countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic).Jamaica is a member of CARICOM grouping. |
Analysis of India – Jamaica Relation
- India and Jamaica have long had cordial and friendly relations based on shared historical experiences, parliamentary democracy, Commonwealth membership, the English language, and a love of cricket.
Areas of Concern for Both Countries
- Energy security, food security, climate change and international terrorism.
Areas of Prospects for Both Countries
- Both in terms of promoting South-South cooperation and coordinating efforts toward the common goal of achieving a better deal for developing countries at relevant multilateral fora in order to support the South’s development imperatives without compromising their policy space.
Areas of Cooperation in India – Jamaica Relation
- Political Relation
- Both the countries uphold the idea of democracy.
- 1975 – Visit of Indian Prime Minister resulted in establishment of resident Indian Mission in Jamaica.
- 1993 – Jamaican Prime Minister attend seventh Non Alignment Movement Summit
- 1999 – Indian Prime Minister attended Ninth G-15 Summit in Montego Bay, Jamaica
- Again from time to time but notable in 2013, the Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs returned to Jamaica on the request of the Jamaican government to attend the ‘Fifth Biennial Diaspora Conference,’ which took place in Montego Bay.
- India and Jamaica share common platforms like NAM, G-77, G15, WTO, WIPO, UN
- Economic Relation
- Despite the tiny size of the Jamaican economy, its distance from India, and preferential trade agreements with the United States, the European Union, and the Caribbean, bilateral trade, economic, and commercial connections are expanding.
- The current amount of bilateral trade is below its potential, yet there remains enormous potential.
- The bilateral commerce has been steadily expanding; in 2011-12, total trade was US$ 28.28 million, rising to US$ 42 million in 2015-16 and US$ 44.61 million in 2016-17. India’s exports have been expanding year after year, and the trade balance favours the country.
- During 2017-2018, total trade was US$ 56.59 million, with India’s exports to Jamaica accounting for US$ 52.24 million, resulting in a trade balance strongly in India’s favour.
- Between April and July 2018, total bilateral trade was US$ 17.65 million, with India’s exports to Jamaica accounting for US$ 16 million.
- Cultural Relations
- In 1996, India and Jamaica inked a cooperation pact in the realm of culture.
- On June 21, 2015, the National Indoor Stadium in Kingston hosted the first International Day of Yoga (IDY).
- Indian Community
- The Indian Diaspora, which numbers over 70,000 people and makes up around 3% of the Jamaican population, hails from India (mostly from Eastern UP, Bihar, Basti, Deoria, and Gorakhpur) and is proud of their Indian ancestors. They are passionate about Indian culture, music, dance, and history.
Way Forward
- The relation with Jamaica is vital for India to influence CARICOM countries to gain support for India’s issues in international platforms like the United Nations.
Pic Courtesy : Economic Times
Content Source : The Hindu