Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit in Georgetown, Guyana, as part of India’s efforts to strengthen ties with Caribbean nations.
India and the Commonwealth of Dominica have maintained cordial relations since establishing diplomatic ties in 1981. While Dominica does not have a mission in India, it is represented through India’s mission in Port of Spain. High-level engagements have included PM Modi’s interaction with PM Skerrit during the India-CARICOM Leaders’ Meeting at the UN General Assembly in 2019 and discussions between India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Dominica’s Foreign Minister Kenneth Darroux in 2020.
India has actively supported Dominica’s development, particularly through initiatives like the India-UNDP Project in Kalinago, launched in 2021 with a $1 million grant to enhance sustainable livelihoods. A second phase of the project was announced earlier this year with an additional $1 million commitment.
During the pandemic, India’s Vaccine Maitri initiative saw the donation of 70,000 AstraZeneca vaccine doses to Dominica in February 2021, received personally by PM Skerrit. India has also provided medical aid and grant-in-aid medicines for public hospitals.
Cultural and people-to-people ties are bolstered by Dominica’s Indian diaspora, which includes around 70 Indian nationals, primarily in retail and healthcare, and approximately 500 people of Indian origin.
This meeting underscores India’s commitment to deepening partnerships with Caribbean nations and advancing mutual cooperation.
