NDTV Exclusive: Jamaican PM On Why Global South Wants India To Represent It

India has become the voice of the Global South in a strategic and robust way, and the world saw that in the most-recent G20 Summit which happened in New Delhi, said Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness in an exclusive interview to NDTV.

Prime Minister Holness, who is in India to strengthen ties between the two nations, held a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 1, during which India and Jamaica signed four agreements, including one on the possible roll-out of UPI payment systems in the Caribbean country.

The two leaders also discussed greater cooperation in energy, defence, and climate change, among several key issues. Jamaica has also strongly backed India's bid for a permanent seat at the UN Security Council and has called for urgent reforms in this regard.

Speaking exclusively to NDTV, the Jamaican prime minister praised India's global role, especially as the voice of the Global South. He praised PM Modi for his role, saying "India has become the voice of the Global South in a strategic and robust way, and the world saw that in the most-recent G20 Summit which happened in New Delhi. The theme - One Earth, One People - resonated with all. I feel India, and Prime Minister Modi in particular, has played that role. It is important that a large country like India, with significant resources can represent the Global South."

He also recalled how India helped during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Prime Minister Modi was one of the first world leaders to reach out to assist with vaccines," Prime Minister Holness said.

DIGITAL ECONOMY

Praising India's efforts to make the economy a digital one, Prime Minister Holness said, ""India has created the roadmap for developing countries and nations from the Global South to follow its path to step into the world of digitalisation, and how to create digital societies"

He went on to say that Jamaica is interested in India's UPI payments system, saying, "People who have benefited most from the Aadhaar and UPI platforms are those who are poor as these have facilitated seamless, effective and efficient transfer of funds to the weaker sections of society."

SECURITY AND DEFENCE

The two leaders, had on Monday, discussed the security framework between India and Jamaica. "We have engaged with India on support for security and defence, particularly in training of our defence officers," he said.

"But more than training, we have looked to build on technology. In today's global environment, it is important to be ahead of the curve on technology and security - both for the economy and for the society, and India is a leader in the sphere of technology," he said.

CLIMATE CHANGE

The Jamaican PM said that his country has already been working with India to combat climate change. "India has been leading efforts in developing global solar energy technology, and then making it available to developing countries. We are also part of the International Solar Alliance, which is led by India.

INDIANS IN JAMAICA

Praising the Indian community in Jamaica, Prime Minister Holness said, "The Indian diaspora has been in Jamaica for centuries. The first Indians arrived in Jamaica in 1845. Since then the Indians have integrated into Jamaica. You can see Indians in all spheres of life in Jamaican society - in business, commerce, education, healthcare - in almost every aspect, and they have contributed very significantly to society."

In his concluding remarks, the prime minister said, "India and Jamaica have a lot in common. Our relationship has a long history, we have the Commonwealth, we have the diaspora connection, we have sport, especially cricket, we have a common legislative system, we are both strong democracies, but India has significantly created a pathway for development - in technology, in pharma, in agriculture - all that can be beneficial to smaller countries. And the beauty of our relationship is that India is willing to share all this... after all, that is the essence of the global fraternity."

In his media statement, PM Modi had said that India has always been a reliable partner in Jamaica's development journey and it is ready to share its expertise with that country in areas such as digital public infrastructure, small industries, biofuel, innovation, health, education and agriculture.

PM Modi also said that the India-Jamaica partnership is characterised by the four Cs -- Culture, Cricket, Commonwealth, and CARICOM.

The CARICOM (Caribbean Community) is a grouping of 20 island nations which are home to approximately 16 million people.

"India and Jamaica may be separated by vast oceans, but our minds, our cultures and our histories are deeply intertwined," PM Modi had said with Prime Minister Holness by his side.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)