Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said Kingston, India and Jamaica have agreed to further strengthen trade ties and explore cooperation in the recruitment and movement of skilled professionals, including healthcare workers and teachers.
Addressing a joint press conference here after meeting his Jamaican Foreign Minister Kamina J. Smith on Monday, Jaishankar said the discussions were comprehensive and they reviewed all aspects of the bilateral relationship and identified new ways to deepen the partnership.
“We signed several important agreements and discussed the effective implementation of recent memorandums of understanding in the areas of digital transformation, cultural exchange, sports and digital payments to ensure tangible results,” he said.
Jaishankar said India recognized Jamaica’s growing role as a logistics hub and gateway for trade and investment in the Caribbean.
“We agreed to further strengthen trade, business and investment ties and explore cooperation in the recruitment and mobility of skilled professionals such as nurses, healthcare workers and teachers,” he said.
The minister said the two sides also discussed expanding cooperation in defense security, healthcare, digitalization, agriculture, education and infrastructure.
Jaishankar stressed that development cooperation is a key pillar of relations between the two countries, pointing to the successful completion of a rural livelihood improvement project in Kitson town in March 2026, which was implemented with $1 million in assistance from India under the India-United Nations Development Partnership Fund, benefiting more than 200 people and affecting thousands more.
India is also discussing the feasibility of setting up an artisan empowerment center in Jamaica, he said, reiterating its support for the country’s post-Cyclone Melissa recovery.
As part of its humanitarian assistance, India has provided relief supplies, deployed a medical team and is providing 30 dialysis units. It also dispatched 40 fishing boats and 200 GPS devices to assist with recovery efforts.
Ministers reaffirmed close cooperation in multilateral forums and discussed issues such as reformed multilateralism, climate justice and priorities for the Global South.
India appreciates Jamaica’s support for its candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council in 2028-29.
Both sides strongly condemned all forms of terrorism and called for the early finalization of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.
Jaishankar also highlighted growing people-to-people ties, pointing to the popularity of yoga and Ayurveda in Jamaica and the contribution of the Indian diaspora to the country’s development.
He announced a donation of 2 million Jamaican dollars for Indian Heritage Day, which celebrates the 181st anniversary of the arrival of Indians in Jamaica.
According to the website of the Indian High Commission in Kingston, there are about 70,000 Indian expatriates in Jamaica, most of whose ancestors came from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar as indentured laborers between 1845 and 1917. There are also some people from south India.
The diaspora, which makes up approximately 3% of Jamaica’s population, continues to cultivate an abiding interest in Indian culture, music, dance and history, serving as a cultural bridge between the two countries. May 10 is observed as Indian Heritage Day in Jamaica.
Jaishankar arrived in Kingston on Saturday as the first leg of his nine-day visit to Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago to further strengthen India’s strategic and cultural ties with Caribbean countries.
Later in the day, Jaishankar interacted with Jamaican industry and business leaders, stressing the need to deepen economic engagement as countries diversify their partnerships globally.
“Stressing that as we both diversify and seek reliable partners, the need to deepen India-Jamaica commercial ties is even stronger,” he said in a social media post, noting that the potential for bilateral and regional economic cooperation should be “more actively explored.”
Jaishankar also appreciated the interaction with business leaders convened by Industries Minister Aubin Hill.
This article was generated from automated news agency feeds without modifications to the text.
