Jamaica PM Andrew Holness Visits India, Plants Champa Sapling at Rajghat
New Delhi, India – Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness planted a Champa (Plumeria Alba) sapling at Rajghat. He was joined by Jamaica’s Foreign Minister Kamina Johnson Smith and cricketer Chris Gayle. Holness also paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.
The Ministry of External Affairs shared on X, ‘Honoring ‘Father of the Nation’! PM @AndrewHolnessJM of Jamaica offered floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat today.’
Prime Minister Holness is on an official visit to India from September 30 to October 3. This is his first visit to India and the first bilateral visit of a Jamaican Prime Minister to India. He arrived in New Delhi on Monday, invited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Union Minister of State for Finance, Pankaj Chaudhary, warmly welcomed him at the airport.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Holness at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. The meeting was followed by delegation-level talks. PM Modi emphasized the strong historical ties between the two nations and praised Holness as a long-standing friend of India.
PM Modi stated, ‘I welcome Jamaica PM Holness and his delegation… Prime Minister Holness has been a long-standing friend of India. I am confident that his visit will give new energy to our bilateral relations as well as our engagement with the entire Caribbean region.’
PM Modi highlighted that India has always been a ‘reliable and committed development partner’ in Jamaica’s development journey. He mentioned that the relations between the two countries are characterized by the Four Cs: Culture, Cricket, Commonwealth, and CARICOM (Caribbean Community). Trade and investment between India and Jamaica are growing, and India has contributed to Jamaica’s development through ITEC and ICCR scholarships.
Jamaican PM Andrew Holness expressed his country’s desire to strengthen cooperation with India in various sectors, including science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), education, digitalization, security, and energy. He praised India’s advancements in STEM education and digitalization and expressed interest in learning from India’s technological progress.
Holness also highlighted Jamaica’s interest in India’s technology-driven security solutions to enhance national and border security. The visit is expected to strengthen bilateral relations, enhance economic cooperation, and solidify the longstanding bonds between Jamaica and India.
Doubts Revealed
Jamaica -: Jamaica is a country in the Caribbean Sea. It is known for its beautiful beaches, reggae music, and athletes like Usain Bolt.
Prime Minister -: A Prime Minister is the leader of a country’s government. In India, the Prime Minister is Narendra Modi.
Andrew Holness -: Andrew Holness is the Prime Minister of Jamaica. He is the leader of the government in Jamaica.
Champa sapling -: A Champa sapling is a young plant of the Champa tree, which has beautiful and fragrant flowers. It is often planted in gardens and parks.
Rajghat -: Rajghat is a memorial in Delhi, India, dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, who is known as the ‘Father of the Nation’ in India.
Mahatma Gandhi -: Mahatma Gandhi was a leader who helped India gain independence from British rule. He is famous for his non-violent methods.
Bilateral visit -: A bilateral visit is a visit between two countries to discuss and improve their relationship. This visit is between Jamaica and India.
Narendra Modi -: Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister of India. He is the head of the Indian government.
STEM -: STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. These are important subjects for learning and innovation.
Digitalization -: Digitalization means using digital technologies to change how things are done. It can make processes faster and more efficient.
Energy -: Energy is the power we use to do work, like electricity for lights and fuel for cars. Countries work together to find better ways to produce and use energy.
