Prime Minister Gaston Browne is in Georgetown, Guyana, for a historic summit with India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, alongside leaders from 13 CARICOM countries. The gathering begins today Wednesday.

This is the first standalone meeting between CARICOM heads of government and India, aimed at enhancing their cooperation in areas such as economic growth, agriculture, health, and science.

The opening ceremony will include remarks from notable leaders, including the CARICOM Chair, Prime Minister of Grenada, Dickon Mitchell, and CARICOM Secretary-General, Dr. Carla Barnett.

The last interaction between CARICOM Heads and India took place in 2019 at the United Nations, focusing on renewable energy and climate initiatives.

The relationship between CARICOM and India dates back to 1985 with a scientific cooperation agreement, and has since expanded through various agreements and joint commissions focusing on areas like health and agribusiness. CARICOM, established in 1973, is a significant integration movement in the developing world, promoting economic and social development among its 15 member states, representing around 16 million citizens.