Leaders of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) of nations have expressed their gratitude to India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for becoming the voice of the Global South and putting the concerns of the Caribbean nations on the world’s agenda.

Responding to them at the second India-CARICOM Summit on Wednesday, PM Modi assured them of continued help and cooperation when the region and the Global South have been hit hard by the new challenges the world is facing.

India has always responded to the concerns of the Global South, he said.

CARICOM’s Chairman Dickon Mitchell said, “I express on behalf of all of CARICOM citizens, our deep gratitude to Prime Minister Modi and the government and great people of India for India’s proactive and influential role in championing the ideals and aspirations of the Global South.”

Mitchell, who is also the Prime Minister of Grenada, said, “We commend India’s unwavering commitment to the sustainable development of our region, especially in this intricate and interconnected era of globalisation.”

He told the CARICOM leaders that PM Modi’s “commitment to fostering international partnerships and his dedication to sustainable development has set a remarkable example for us all”.

He mentioned India’s donation of Covid vaccines to the CARICOM countries and said “It demonstrated that at the time of its own great need, it cared enough about its brothers and sisters within CARICOM”.

He said that PM Modi’s “visionary leadership has been instrumental in strengthening the ties between India and CARICOM”.

Mitchell added, “His leadership has not only propelled India to new heights, but it has also opened new avenues for collaboration with our region” and noted India’s emergence as the fastest-growing major economy.

“Our collaboration spans various sectors, including trade, technology, healthcare, education, and climate resilience, each contributing to the sustainable development and prosperity of our regions” and “India’s expertise in such key areas as agriculture, energy, health, human resource development, and information and communications technology” can help the region, he said.

CARICOM Summit’s host, Guyana’s President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, told PM Modi that with his “visionary leadership, India has become an influential voice in the international community, you are emerging as the voice of the Global South”.

India’s leadership of the G20 and its role in BRICS, the group of emerging major economies, and PM Modi’s “steadfast advocacy for the developing world underscores your commitment to advancing the aspirations of the Global South,” Ali said.

“These initiatives have elevated India’s stature and placed the concerns of developing nations, including the small island developing low-lying coastal states of the Caribbean, formally on the global agenda,” he added.

He said that PM Modi’s “steadfast advocacy for the developing world” and “advancing aspirations and Global South” have raised his stature.

Ali told PM Modi that this was an occasion for the leaders of CARICOM “to thank you and the people of India for your selfless attributes when you deliver to this region or a forest set of vaccines during the Covid pandemic”.