By Aabigayle McIntosh

The bond of friendship between Antigua and Barbuda and the Republic of India strengthen furthur this week when the country received a delegation from India’s Ministry of External Affairs.

Shri Pabitra Margherita paid a courtesy visit earlier this week.

Included in the long lists of commitments is a request from Prime Minister Gaston Browne for assistance in the area of Education and Construction.

“We need some Math teachers and we need some other, there are some other gaps within the economy that we need to fill. Perhaps we may even have to look to India for some specialized Construction Workers too, because that is an area in which we’ve been struggling for some years now,” Browne said.

The Indian State Minister for External Affairs also pointed to his country’s willingness to continue to support Antigua and Barbuda in key areas of capacity building.

India was one of the first countries to have established diplomatic relations with Antigua and Barbuda back in 1981 when it became independent.

Browne said, “ India obviously was the catalyst for the independence movement that took place here in the Caribbean as well as in Africa”.

The head of government also emphasised India’s inspiring economic growth and its benevolence during Covid-19 when tens of thousands of doses of vaccines were provided at the Tunnel Institute.