Ramachandran Swaminathan, Special Secretary for the Americas (Consular and Passports) in India’s Ministry of External Affairs yesterday urged Caricom states to liberalise travel to the region for Indian nationals, while saying it would further business opportunities.
He made the call when Caricom representatives met with a visiting delegation from India in the first official meeting of the CARICOM-India Joint Commission since it was established in 2003.
Swaminathan led the Indian delegation, which included members of India’s ministries of External Affairs and Agriculture as well as its Department of Pharmaceuticals.
Addressing the meeting, which was held at the Caricom Secretariat at Liliendaal, Swaminathan noted that India has extended its tourist visa’s electronic facilities to Caricom countries and pointed out that by the end of the month citizens from all 15 Caricom member states will be able to access electronic authorisation for travel to India. This will see Caricom nationals being able to travel to India without first having to secure a visa. Instead, with prior electronic authorisation, they will obtain a visa on arrival in India.
Swaminathan requested, as a reciprocal gesture a liberalisation of travel for Indian nationals in the region. This liberalisation, if granted, will see Indian nationals who possess work or residence permits for any Caricom state or a US visa being able to travel to any of the other Caricom states.
“As a friendly reciprocal gesture, I would also request that Caricom member countries to also liberalise travel within the region by allowing Indians who have a work permit in any of Caricom member countries and… perhaps a US visa be able to travel within the Caribbean region without a visa requirement,” Swaminathan said.
He shared his belief that “increased mobility of Indian citizens in the Caribbean region will go a long way in increasing India-Caricom engagement in the near future, particularly opening up business opportunities.”
The Standing Joint Commission is responsible for the promotion and development of closer relations between Caricom and India through consultation, cooperation and coordination in the political, trade, economic, scientific, technical and cultural fields. Yesterday’s meeting was expected to discuss opportunities for mutually beneficial technical cooperation.
