PM Harris meets Indian High Commissioner, K. J. Srinivasa, discusses ways to boost ties

Basseterre: Prime Minister of St Kitts & Nevis met with the High Commissioner of India, K. J. Srinivasa and Honorary Consul of India to St Kitts and Nevis, Ramesh Mulkanoor. The officials of both countries held fruitful discussions to boost their bilateral relations. 

The Permanent Secretary Andrew Skerritt and Foreign Service Officer Michael Pinney accompanied PM Harris during the official meet. The Prime Minister furthermore underscored the long-withstanding and robust bilateral ties of both countries. 

PM Harris wrote on his Facebook post, “I had very fruitful bilateral discussions with the High Commissioner of #India His Excellency K. J. Srinivasa and Honorary Consul of India to #StKittsAndNevis, Ramesh Mulkanoor. #DiplomacyMatters. St Kitts and Nevis has strong bonds with India”. 

India has always been a supportive friend and stands tall with St Kitts and Nevis even in the challenging times of the deadliest COVID-19 outbreak. The twin-island Federation has received donations of WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccines from the government of India under the Vaccine Maitri program. 

Bilateral relations between India and St Kitts and Nevis: 

India and Saint Kitts and Nevis signed an MoU in July in the year of 2007, where governments of both the nations agreed to hold regular Foreign Office Consultations. 

In terms of trade relations, the twin-island Federation and India have the trade worth US$2.36 million in the year 2015–16, registering a growth of 55.26% over the previous fiscal. The reports further note that India exported goods to St Kitts and Nevis worth $2.20 million and imported goods of a total of $160,000.  

Apart from this, both the nations penned down a Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA) on November 11, 2014, which later came into force from February 2, 2016. 

St Kitts and Nevis residents are eligible for scholarships under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme. Both of the nations are looking forward to strengthening their bilateral ties.