November 15, 2024
CARICOM and India renewed their commitment to bilateral cooperation at the second meeting of the CARICOM-India Joint Commission which met virtually on Wednesday November 6.
The Joint Commission was co-chaired by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign of Affairs of Dominica, Ms. Barbara Bailey, and the Vice Minister within the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, Hon. Jaideep Mazumdar. Representatives of CARICOM Member States, Institutions of the Community, the CARICOM Secretariat, and various departments of the Government of India participated in the meeting.
Areas of Cooperation
The Joint Commission reviewed the entire spectrum of relations between India and CARICOM including economic and commercial, agriculture, health and pharmaceuticals, energy and infrastructure, technology and innovation, human resource and capacity building, culture and people-to-people exchange.
Both sides deliberated on strengthening economic cooperation, enhancing trade and fostering a robust partnership in the areas of education, digital public infrastructure, development cooperation, renewable energy, science and technology, climate change adaptation, disaster management and resilient infrastructure.
Co-Chair Remarks
In her remarks during the opening, Ms. Bailey noted that India has been a long-standing friend of the Community having established diplomatic relations with member countries as far as 1962.
The Co-Chair expressed appreciation for India’s support for the convening of Joint Commission, which met previously in 2015. She noted that the discussion signaled the commitment that both CARICOM and India attach to their important relationship.
India’s Vice Minister Mazumdar also underscored the significance of the meeting in advancing preparations for upcoming engagements, which he said will add momentum to CARICOM-India relations.
The meeting of the CARICOM-India Joint Commission comes on the heels of an India-CARICOM Foreign Ministerial Meeting held on 27 September 2024 in New York.