Georgetown, Nov 20 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi starts a two-day visit on Tuesday to Guyana, the energy-rich nation with strong historic cultural links with India through a large diaspora.
He will co-chair the India-CARICOM summit with 14 nations participating, underscoring India’s role as the voice of the Global South that supports the political and economic aspirations of those countries.
“India is an important global actor. Our Member States are keen to meet Prime Minister Modi and develop deeper technical relationships, deepen the relationship in terms of advocacy for small states in the international arena, and strengthen people-to-people ties,” CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General Elizabeth Solomon was quoted as saying by Antigua Newsroom.
PM Modi said in a statement previewing the visit that he will pay his respects to one of the oldest Indian diaspora, who migrated more than 185 years ago.
“We will exchange views on giving strategic direction to our unique relationship, which is based on shared heritage, culture and values,” he said.
Guyana’s Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said, “The visit underlines the historically strong relations between India and Guyana.”
The 2nd India-CARICOM Summit will be co-chaired on Wednesday by Guyana’s President Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell.
CARICOM is the group of the Caribbean countries and the first summit was held in 2019 on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly where India offered a $150 million credit line for climate change and renewable energy projects.
Beyond the cultural links, PM Modi will be looking to Guyana for India’s energy security as the small Caribbean country is emerging as a potential major petroleum and gas power.
According to the US Energy Information Agency, the estimate of Guyana’s oil and natural gas resources is more than 11 billion oil-equivalent barrels, which is more than three times Kuwait’s.
The discovery of the oil reserves, most of which are offshore, has spurred interest in the country by many countries and multinationals.
Guyana could play a role in India’s quest to diversify its energy sources.
People of Indian descent make up 39.8 per cent of the population of the multi-ethnic country, with Hindus at 28.4 per cent of the largest religious community.
The Indo-Guyanese are the descendants of the people brought over by the British Raj starting in 1838 as indentured labourers to work on sugar plantations or those who came over as traders or to work in other occupations.
According to Jaggdeo, PM Modi will visit the Indian Arrival Monument which commemorates the arrival of the first ship carrying Indian indentured labourers to the Caribbean in 1838.
PM Modi will address Guyana’s Parliament and speak to the Indian community and the diaspora.
Ali visited India last year as the chief guest at the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas.
PM Modi will be the first Indian prime minister to visit the country since Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s visit in 1968.
India has provided assistance to Guyana with several projects, including $25 million National Cricket Stadium which was the venue for the T20 World Cup Cricket this year.
India has also helped set up of a Centre of Excellence in Information Technology (CEIT).
The trade between the two countries was $223.36 million in 2021-22, with Guyana’s exports amounting to $156.96 million, boosted by energy products.
