Dominica to Honour Indian PM Modi with Nation’s Highest Award for Pandemic Aid and Partnership Efforts

In recognition of his invaluable support during the COVID-19 crisis and efforts to enhance ties between India and Dominica, Dominica’s highest national award—the Dominica Award of Honor—would be bestowed on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The award would be given by President of the Commonwealth of Dominica Sylvanie Burton during the India-CARICOM Summit that will take place in Georgetown, Guyana, from November 19-21, 2024, according to a confirmation from the Prime Minister’s Office of Dominica.

What is Dominica’s reason for Honouring PM Modi?

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Modi provided Dominica with 70,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in February 2021, a gesture that played a pivotal role in Dominica’s public health response and enabled the island nation to extend support to neighboring Caribbean countries. Dominica’s Prime Minister’s Office praised Modi’s initiative as “a generous gift that enabled Dominica to extend support to its Caribbean neighbours.”

This gesture, seen as a symbol of India’s solidarity with the Caribbean, has left a lasting impact on Dominica. As Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit emphasized, “The award also recognises India’s support for Dominica in healthcare, education and information technology under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, as well as his role in promoting climate resilience-building initiatives and sustainable development on a global level.”

Strengthening a Bilateral Bond

Prime Minister Skerrit described Modi as a “true partner to Dominica,” particularly during a period of worldwide uncertainty due to the health crisis. Skerrit continued, “It is an honour to present him with Dominica’s highest national accolade as a symbol of our gratitude for his support and as a reflection of the strong ties between our countries.” He noted that the Commonwealth of Dominica is eager to further develop its partnership with India, especially in areas related to sustainable development, education, and healthcare.

In response to the honour, PM Modi emphasized the importance of international collaboration to tackle global challenges, including climate change and geopolitical tensions. He affirmed India’s commitment to partnering with Dominica and the Caribbean to address shared global issues.

India and Dominica

Dominica has acquired the sobriquet of “Nature’s Island of the Caribbean” due to its magnificence in natural beauty. It started having good relations with India in the year 1981. Although India and Dominica have enjoyed diplomatic relations since more than four decades, in the past years, India and Dominica have been mutually strengthening their ties of partnership. The major imports of Dominica from India are pharmaceutical products, textiles, food products, and household items; major exports of Dominica to India are scrap metals.

The government of Dominica has exempted Indian nationals from requiring a visa for travel for up to six months for tourist or business purposes. India has extended the e-Tourist Visa scheme for the citizens of Dominica.

Compared to other destinations, the presence of Indians in Dominica is relatively small. However, some of them are business executives and teachers at Ross Medical University who facilitate further people-to-people contacts.