India, CARICOM discuss deeper cooperation; bloc backs India’s UNSC bid for 2028-29
New York, Sep 24. India and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) reviewed the progress of their expanding partnership and discussed ways to deepen cooperation in areas including trade, investment, food security, digital governance, climate resilience and energy.
The India-CARICOM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting was held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 23, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Suriname’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business and Cooperation Melvin WJ Bouva co-chairing the meeting.
The talks followed up on the second India-CARICOM Summit, which was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leaders of CARICOM member states in Guyana in November 2024.
The meeting saw participation by foreign ministers from Barbados, Dominica, the Bahamas, Guyana, Jamaica, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Haiti, St Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis, and Antigua and Barbuda. Grenada’s Finance Minister, Belize’s Chief Executive Officer in its Ministry of Foreign Affairs and CARICOM Secretary-General Carla Natalie Barnett also attended.
The two sides expressed satisfaction over the steady expansion of India-CARICOM cooperation and discussed measures to further strengthen political engagement and economic ties.
Particular emphasis was placed on increasing trade and investment and expanding cooperation in agriculture and food security, digital governance, climate resilience and energy.
CARICOM leaders also acknowledged India’s development partnership in the Caribbean region and its efforts to promote South-South cooperation.
The discussions also covered coordination in multilateral forums on issues of common interest, including reform of the United Nations, climate change, counter-terrorism and transnational crime.
During the meeting, the CARICOM co-chair conveyed the grouping’s decision to support India’s candidature for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2028-29 term.
Jaishankar thanked the CARICOM countries for their support and said India would remain a strong voice of the Global South.
The meeting underscored the commitment of India and CARICOM to further strengthen their partnership, both through bilateral cooperation and coordination on global and multilateral issues.
