Strengthened Partnership Between Jamaica and India Deemed Key to Unlocking New Opportunities

Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says the strengthened partnership between Jamaica and India will be pivotal in unlocking new opportunities for growth, development and cultural exchange.

Dr. Holness, who provided an update on his recent official visit to the Republic of India in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (October 8), said this partnership is critical as Jamaica navigates an increasingly complex global landscape.

“India and other… developing countries… face the same development challenges as we do. However, they have charted a pathway of solutions that can be customised to our specific condition.

We are crafting a south-south partnership with India to accelerate our technological advancement and support our economic development.

“What does this mean for the average Jamaican? This trip will aid Jamaica’s push to cut the time it takes to conduct financial transactions… the time it takes in bank lines, the time it takes to collect the PATH payment or to do business with government. We really should commission a study to see the time that Jamaicans lose standing in line in banks, at the tax office, at all the other places where they have to get served by public institutions; technology can eliminate that,” he said.

Dr. Holness further indicated that the partnership will provide additional training opportunities for young people in technology, specifically cyber and artificial intelligence.

“This is where the jobs of the future will be. This trip has great meaning and value for the average Jamaican,” he said.

Dr. Holness described the official visit, the first by a Jamaican Prime Minister, as a resounding success, noting it marked the beginning of a new era in Jamaica-India relations.

“India, as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies and a leader on the global stage, offers Jamaica immense opportunities, and this visit has unlocked the doors to deepening our partnership and strengthening our cooperation in the years ahead,” he said.

Dr. Holness expressed profound gratitude to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the people of India for their warm hospitality and commitment to forging stronger ties with Jamaica.

Meanwhile, Dr. Holness said that as the world moves deeper into the fourth industrial revolution, Jamaica must continue to invest in education and skills development, particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

“Discussions focused on opportunities for recruitment and training of STEM teachers as well as how Jamaica can benefit from India’s experience in equipping its workforce with the skills needed for the digital age.

“We discussed film. Discussions included the possibility of Indian film-makers from Bollywood collaborating with our growing film industry in Jamaica, particularly because the Government has put $1billion into a film fund. So, the possibilities now exist for collaborative efforts between Indian film-makers and Jamaican film-makers on areas of common interest,” Dr. Holness stated.

In the area of sports, the Prime Minister said a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed, which will see cooperation in the exchange of coaches, noting that “we focused on Jamaica’s prowess in track and field and India’s success in cricket and chess”.

Meanwhile, Dr. Holness advised the House that discussions are under way for the development of a Foreign Service Institute in Jamaica, as well as the forging of a partnership between India’s National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology and the HEART/NSTA Trust. He indicated that the latter engagement would entail establishing one or more artificial intelligence (AI) labs in Jamaica.

The Prime Minister informed that the discussions during his visit covered a range of topics, among these trade and investment, health, agriculture, digital transformation, film, education, security, sports and tourism.

Meanwhile, Dr. Holness said his Administration regards foreign policy as an important exercise to ensure Jamaica’s international and global political interests are served multilaterally and bilaterally.

“However, my Administration believes that foreign policy is also a powerful instrument for the promotion of our economic interests. In the past era, in which some still reside, the measure of a successful trip would be a readout of grants and gifts… . It is always good to secure those. However, the era in which this Administration has moved Jamaica, is that of seeking our economic independence to secure our growth and prosperity as a nation,” he emphasised.

Dr. Holness maintained that Jamaica’s growth and prosperity in this era of the fourth industrial revolution, cyber, artificial intelligence and STEM “will depend heavily on how fast we can integrate technology in our economy and society, not only as consumers of the technology, but as producers of technology”.