Andrew Holness, Prime Minister(PM) of Jamaica, paid a 4-day visit to India from 30th September 2024 to 3rd October 2024 to strengthen bilateral ties in key areas including trade and investment.
- This marks the first-ever bilateral visit by a Jamaican PM to India as well as the first visit of Andrew Holness to India.
- Narendra Modi, PM of India, highlighted that the India-Jamaica relationship is defined by 4Cs- culture, cricket, Commonwealth and Caribbean.
India & Jamaica Exchange 4 MoUs:
India and Jamaica exchanged 4 Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) in the fields of Digital Public Infrastructure, Cultural Exchange and Sports.
- India will share its knowledge with Jamaica in various areas including Digital Public Infrastructure, small-scale industries, biofuel, innovation, health, education and agriculture.
- India has also committed to provide training and capacity building for the Jamaican Army in the field of defence.
Digital Public Infrastructure:
The Government of India (GoI) through the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology(MeitY) and the Government of Jamaica through the Office of the Prime Minister of Jamaica signed a MoU on cooperation in digital public infrastructure.
Signatories: The MoU was signed by Dana Morris Dixon, Jamaica’s Minister in the Office of the PM, and Minister of State, Pankaj Chaudhary, Ministry of Finance(MoF), GoI.
- This MoU aims to boost financial inclusion and social and economic transformation in Jamaica.
- Jamaica seeks to adopt India’s way of using digital solutions for governance and public service delivery particularly to strengthen its economy and improve access to services.
Digital Payments:
NPCI International Payments Limited (India), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the National Payments Corporation of India(NPCI) signed an MoU with Egov Jamaica Limited to support Jamaica in adopting India’s UPI (Unified Payments Interface) technology for better digital payment solutions.
Signatories: The MoU was signed by Dana Morris Dixon, Jamaica’s Minister in the Office of the PM, and Pankaj Chaudhary, India.
Cultural Exchange Programme:
GoI and the Government of Jamaica signed a MoU on cultural exchange program for the years 2024-2029. This will facilitate the exchange of cultural practices, knowledge, and activities between India and Jamaica.
- It will also strengthen cooperation between cultural institutions and bilateral relations through art, heritage, and education.
Signatories: The MoU was signed by Kamina Johnson Smith, Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, and Pankaj Chaudhary, India.
Sports Cooperation:
i.India’s Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MoYAS) and Jamaica’s Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sport signed a MoU on cooperation in sports.
ii.This partnership involves the exchange of knowledge and expertise in sports development and management, leading to development in Jamaica’s sporting infrastructure and talent development.
Signatories: The MoU was signed by Kamina Johnson Smith, Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, and Pankaj Chaudhary, India’s Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance.
Prime Minister Modi Names Road ‘Jamaica Marg’ to Celebrate India-Jamaica Friendship
PM Modi named the road in front of the Jamaica High Commission in New Delhi as the ‘Jamaica Marg’, emphasizing upon strong India-Jamaica ties.
- This will be symbol of India- Jamaica relations as the road would provide the path for India-Jamaica deep friendship and cooperation for future generations.
About Jamaica
Prime Minister – Andrew Holness
Capital – Kingston
Currency – Jamaican Dollar
Continent – North America
