President Ram Nath Kovind who is on a four-day visit to Saint Vincent and Grenadines on Thursday (local time) arrived at Argyle International Airport in Kingstown where he received the Guard of Honour and a 21-gun-salute and was welcomed by the Prime Minister Ralph Everard Gonsalves.
It is the first-ever visit by an Indian President to Saint Vincent and Grenadines. He is accompanied by his wife first lady Savita Kovind, Union Minister Pankaj Chowdhary, Lok Sabha MP Rama Devi and Satish Kumar Gautam.
On Saint Vincent and the Grenadines side, the leadership of the host, Prime Minister, Speaker of the House AssemblyRochelle Forde, Leader of the Opposition Godwin Friday and his wife along with the members of cabinet and Parliament, Commissioner of Police, cabinet Secretary and members of the diplomatic Corps were present.
Meanwhile, on the Indian side, S. Balachandran, High Commissioner of India to Jamaica and his spouse Hemalatha Chandran were present.
Before departing for the Caribbean Island nation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) on Wednesday morning, the President received a guard of honour in Jamaica’s capital city of Kingston.
During his visit to SVG, President Kovind will hold discussions with his counterpart Governor-General of SVG Susan Dougan and will also meet the country’s Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves as well as other dignitaries, according to an official statement.
President Kovind will also address the House of Assembly of SVG during his visit, among other activities.
SVG is an important partner of India. India and SVG were both non-permanent members of the UNSC in 2021 and shared good cooperation during this period, the statement said.
During the course of his three-day visit to Jamaica, President Kovind took part in a number of activities including an address to the joint sitting of the Jamaican parliament, the naming of a road in Kingston after BR Ambedkar, as well as the inauguration of the India-Jamaica friendship park.
“Jamaica has a very special place in India and among our people as Indians from all walks of life had been coming to this beautiful country and making it their home,” Kovind said at an event to mark 60 years of diplomatic relations between the two nations on Tuesday.
India and Jamaica have traditionally enjoyed cordial relations based on democratic values, common linkages of history, a Parliamentary democratic system, membership in the Commonwealth, use of the English language and the love for cricket.