Remarks by EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar at the official inauguration of High Commission of Saint Kitts and Nevis in New Delhi

Your Excellency Foreign Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas,
High Commissioner Bath,
distinguished Ambassadors,
colleagues from the Ministry of External Affairs,
ladies and gentlemen,

I am truly delighted today to join you all and I congratulate the Government of St. Kitts & Nevis on the official inauguration of the new High Commission in India.

2. St. Kitts & Nevis and India have maintained close and very friendly ties since the establishment of our diplomatic relationship, which if my memory serves me right, I think it was 1983. Our bilateral engagement is built on the common values of democracy and our historic struggle against colonialism. Now these shared experiences have fostered a deep bonding that has developed as fellow members of the Global South.

3. In the years that have passed, the convergence of our views is evident on issues of contemporary relevance, including climate justice, health security and development challenges. As Small Island Developing States (SIDS), St. Kitts & Nevis faces particular vulnerabilities to climate change. India remains committed to supporting SIDS in addressing these challenges, through capacity-building, technology transfer, and collaboration in renewable energy, disaster resilience, and sustainable development. We have worked closely in global and regional forums to make our voice heard and our interests recognized, and we meet regularly, and in our case particularly so Excellency, during the UN General Assembly.

4. Having said that, Friends, I join Foreign Minister Douglas in recognizing the importance of the formal opening of the High Commission today, a resident presence, because as he rightly noted, it gives us the basis really to focus much more on our bilateral ties. Your presence today, Minister Douglas, enabled us to explore possibilities and exchange views in that regard. India is already engaged in a project on the processing and packaging of Lima beans. We agreed today in our discussions, in our meeting earlier today in the afternoon, to conclude a framework on Quick Impact Projects that would deliver for local communities. We also spoke about health challenges and the importance of maintaining medical inventories and emergency supplies nearby for the use of CARICOM members.

5. Tourism is the lifeblood of the economy of St. Kitts and Nevis. Our discussions touched upon the involvement of Indian businesses in this sector. We also examined the merits of Indian talents and Indian skills being made available more readily, especially in the health, tourism and infrastructure sectors.

6. Excellency, dear friends, all of you are aware that India has enthusiastically embraced digital opportunities to promote good governance and economic efficiency. We would be glad to share best practices with our partners, including St. Kitts and Nevis, and indeed, other members of the CARICOM.

7. I am sure that as the High Commission establishes itself more deeply, this resident presence will prove invaluable in strengthening our ties. There is much more that we can discover about each other, much more that we need to do to expand enabling arrangements and framework, and much more comfort to be gained through constant interactions. I am sure that the High Commissioner and his team will do so working with my colleagues in the Ministry.

8. On the multilateral front, both our countries continue to support each other in South-South cooperation initiatives. We also appreciate St. Kitts & Nevis' active participation in the International Solar Alliance, reflecting our shared commitment to renewable energy and climate action.

9. I congratulate Saint Kitts and Nevis on assuming the Chairmanship of CARICOM in January this year. India shares warm and longstanding relations with CARICOM countries. We attach great importance to this partnership. The Second India-CARICOM Summit, held in November 2024 in Guyana and co-chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was indeed very productive - that was I think the last opportunity we met as well. During the Summit several priority areas were identified, and we need now to take them forward. We look forward to working closely with Saint Kitts and Nevis during its tenure as Chair to advance our cooperation in these priority areas.

10. So let me conclude, Excellency, distinguished guests, Friends, I once again congratulate the Government of St. Kitts & Nevis on this important diplomatic milestone and I wish the High Commission every success in strengthening our partnership.

Thank you very much.

New Delhi
April 07, 2026