Looking forward to deepening bonds of friendship: PM Modi to Jamaican counterpart Andrew Holness

New Delhi, Sep 5 (IANS) As Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness secured a third term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that he was looking forward to deepening India-Jamaica bonds of friendship and further strengthening cooperation between the two countries.

In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, “Heartiest congratulations to Dr Andrew Holness on leading the Jamaica Party to victory for the third consecutive time. Looking forward to deepening India-Jamaica bonds of friendship and further strengthening cooperation between our two countries.”

Jamaican PM Andrew Holness won the election on Thursday following a tight race against the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP).

Earlier last year, PM Andrew Holness arrived in India on a four-day visit from October 1 to October 3.

PM Modi, during a joint presser with his Jamaican counterpart, Andrew Holness, following their bilateral discussions in New Delhi, highlighted the significance of 'people-to-people' ties between the two nations.

"I am very happy to welcome PM Holness to India. This is the first-ever bilateral visit by a Jamaican Prime Minister to India, and we are giving this trip great significance," said Prime Minister Modi.

"PM Holness has been a friend of India for a long time. We have met several times, and I've always found his views aligned towards enhancing relations with India. His visit will not only strengthen our bilateral ties but also energise our engagement with the entire Caribbean region," he added.

The PM mentioned that India-Jamaica relations are built on "common history, democratic values, and strong people-to-people connections".

"Our relations are defined by four Cs - culture, cricket, Commonwealth, and CARICOM (Caribbean Community)... Business and investment between India and Jamaica is on the rise. India has always been a trustworthy and dedicated partner in Jamaica's development journey," PM Modi said while underlining India's contributions to Jamaica's skill development through ITEC and ICCR scholarships.

During their discussion, both leaders identified several initiatives aimed at strengthening cooperation in multiple areas.

PM Modi expressed India's readiness to share expertise in areas such as digital public infrastructure, small-scale industries, biofuel, innovation, health, education, and agriculture.

"We will focus on capacity building and training for the Jamaican military. We share common challenges such as organised crime, drug trafficking, and terrorism," he stated.

Spotlighting the deep historical ties between the two countries, PM Modi noted that about 70,000 people of Indian origin now call Jamaica home.

--IANS

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