TajWagstaff: Started Entry

2025-05-25T20:38:16Z

Started Entry

New page

{{Infobox bilateral relations|Dominica–India|Dominica|India}}

'''Dominica–India relations''' refers to the international [[Diplomacy|relations]] that exist between [[Dominica]] and [[India]], both [[republics in the Commonwealth of Nations]]. The High Commission of India in [[Port of Spain]], [[Trinidad and Tobago]] is concurrently accredited to Dominica. Neither country hosts a resident [[diplomatic mission]] of the other.

==History==
Dominica and India established diplomatic relations in 1981.<ref name="MEA2016">{{cite web |date=5 December 2016 |title=Bilateral Relations-Commonwealth of Dominica |url=http://www.mea.gov.in/Portal/ForeignRelation/Commonwealth_of_Dominica_new.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170610234221/http://www.mea.gov.in/Portal/ForeignRelation/Commonwealth_of_Dominica_new.pdf |archive-date=10 June 2017 |access-date=17 April 2017 |website=Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India}}</ref>

India's Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Dominica's Division of Agriculture signed an MoU for cooperation in [[education]] and research
in [[agriculture]] and allied areas in October 2011.<ref name="MEA2016"/> Some [[Dominica]]n and [[India]]n media outlets reported in November 2011, that [[Dawood Ibrahim]] had obtained a Dominican [[passport]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Gupta |first=Shekhar N. |date=6 November 2011 |title=Discover Dominica Authority to participate in US and UK Trade Shows |url=http://www.thedominican.net/2011/11/dominica-best-place-for-passports.html |access-date=17 April 2017 |website=TheDominican.net}}</ref> On 13 November 2011, Dominican [[Prime minister|Prime Minister]] [[Roosevelt Skerrit]] officially denied the reports stating that the government had conducted "an extensive search into the matter and there is no evidence to match the claim." He further accused Dominican [[economist]] Thompson Fontaine of being the origin of the false reports.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/general/government-denies-granting-passport-to-dawood-ibrahim-to-seek-legal-advice-against-dr-thompson-fontaine/|title=Interpol investigations show Ibrahim has no connection to Dominica – PM|website=Dominica News Online|date=10 November 2011|access-date=17 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Government denies granting passport to Dawood Ibrahim; to seek legal advice against Dr. Thompson Fontaine|url=http://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/general/government-denies-granting-passport-to-dawood-ibrahim-to-seek-legal-advice-against-dr-thompson-fontaine/|website=Dominica News Online|date=10 November 2011|access-date=17 April 2017}}</ref>

Dominican Prime Minister [[Roosevelt Skerrit]] made a private visit to India on 22–26 February 2016. He was the chief guest at the 6th Convocation of the [[Lovely Professional University]] in [[Jalandhar]]. During the ceremony, the University conferred its "[[Honorary degree|Honoris Causa]]" [[Doctor of Letters]] degree upon Skerrit.<ref>{{cite web |date=23 February 2016 |title=Indian university to confer doctorate on Dominica Prime Minister |url=http://www.caribbean360.com/news/indian-university-to-confer-doctorate-on-dominica-prime-minister |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170418163552/http://www.caribbean360.com/news/indian-university-to-confer-doctorate-on-dominica-prime-minister |archive-date=18 April 2017 |access-date=17 April 2017 |website=Caribbean360}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=24 February 2016 |title=Dominica PM for bilateral trade |url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/community/dominica-pm-for-bilateral-trade/200426.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160225111034/http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/community/dominica-pm-for-bilateral-trade/200426.html |archive-date=25 February 2016 |access-date=17 April 2017 |website=The Tribune Chandigarh |location=Phagwara}}</ref> Skerrit visited the Golden Temple in [[Amritsar]] on 22 February.<ref>{{cite web |date=22 February 2016 |title=Amritsar: Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit pays obeisance at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Feb 22, 2016 |url=http://yashnews.com/amritsar-dominica-prime-minister-roosevelt-skerrit-pays-obeisance-at-the-golden-temple-in-amritsar-on-feb-22-2016/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170418203335/http://yashnews.com/amritsar-dominica-prime-minister-roosevelt-skerrit-pays-obeisance-at-the-golden-temple-in-amritsar-on-feb-22-2016/ |archive-date=18 April 2017 |access-date=17 April 2017 |website=Yash News}}</ref> He also attended several lunches and dinners held in his honour by members of the Indian business community.<ref>{{cite web|title=PM Skerrit discusses investment in Dominica at exclusive lunch and dinner in India|url=http://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/general/pm-skerrit-discusses-investment-in-dominica-at-exclusive-lunch-and-dinner-in-india/|website=Dominica News Online|date=25 February 2016|access-date=17 April 2017}}</ref> The [[Minister of State]] (VK) hosted a lunch for Skerrit in [[Delhi]] on 25 February.<ref name="MEA2016"/>

India established an IT Centre for Excellence at a cost of US$7 million at the [[Dominica State College]] in Roseau. The Centre was officially inaugurated by Prime Minister Skerrit on 3 June 2016.<ref name="MEA2016" /> At the inauguration ceremony, Skerrit pledged to use Dominica's upcoming term as [[Caribbean Community|CARICOM]] chair beginning 1 July 2016 to strengthen relations between CARICOM and India. Referring to India as "a dear partner and friend" that is helping in the development of Dominica, Skerrit added, "I say to you we shall always be grateful for the generosity of India and to say to you that India can rely on Dominica to stand with it on many international matters of mutual interests."<ref>{{Cite web |title=PM pledges to strengthen ties with India |url=https://www.dominicavibes.dm/news-203499/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817041309/http://www.dominicavibes.dm/news-203499/ |archive-date=2016-08-17 |access-date=2017-04-17 |website=dominicavibes.dm Dominica Vibes News |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Trade==
Bilateral trade between Dominica and India totalled US$1.57 million in 2015-16. India exported $1.47 million worth of goods to Dominica, and imported $100,000. The main commodities exported by India to Dominica are [[Medication|pharmaceutical products]], [[jewellery]], [[Ready-made garment|readymade garments]], [[textile]]s and [[Furniture|home furnishings]]. The major commodities imported by India from Dominica are [[Scrap|scrap metals]] and plastic articles.<ref name="HCI" />

Gujarat Apollo Industries Company Ltd. built an [[Bitumen|asphalt]] separation plant in Dominica.<ref name="MEA2016" />

Dominica established an Indo-Dominica Chamber of Commerce in February 2016 with aim of facilitate bilateral trade, commerce, tourism and industrial relations.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Skerrit promises investment opportunities in Commonwealth of Dominica |url=http://www.thestatesman.com/business/skerrit-promises-investment-opportunities-in-commonwealth-of-dominica-126512.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170302092505/http://www.thestatesman.com/business/skerrit-promises-investment-opportunities-in-commonwealth-of-dominica-126512.html |archive-date=2 March 2017 |access-date=2017-04-17 |work=The Statesman |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=28 February 2016 |title=Skerrit to form Indo-Dominica Chamber of Commerce |url=http://sundominica.com/articles/skerrit-to-form-indo-dominica-chamber-of-commerce-3124/ |access-date=2017-04-17 |work=The Sun}}</ref>

==Cultural relations==
As of December 2016, around 50 [[Indian people|persons of Indian origin]] reside in Dominica. There are also a few families of Indian nationals in the country. Dominica's Indian population is of [[Sindhis|Sindhi]] origin and are engaged in business, or work as professionals and faculty members at the Ross Medical University.<ref name="MEA2016" />

==Development assistance==
India donated $100,000 towards disaster relief in the aftermath of [[Hurricane Ophelia]] in December 2011, $300,000 in the aftermath of flash floods in Dominica in December 2013,<ref name="MEA2016" /> and $200,000 as humanitarian assistance to provide relief in the wake of Tropical Storm Erica on 24 December 2013.<ref>{{cite web|author1=|first=|date=10 March 2014|title=Over $800,000 from India for Disaster Relief|url=http://www.opm.gov.dm/?p=361|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140513231842/http://www.opm.gov.dm/?p=361|archive-date=2014-05-13|access-date=17 April 2017|website=Office of the Prime Minister of Dominica}}</ref><ref name="HCI" />

An agriculture and horticulture expert from the National Research Centre for Banana in [[Thiruchirapalli]] visited the country for a month in January 2011, at the request of the Dominican Government to advise them on horticulture.<ref>{{cite web |date=January 2016 |title=Bilateral Relations-Commonwealth of Dominica |url=https://www.mea.gov.in/Portal/ForeignRelation/Dominica_18_02_2016.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160429112935/https://www.mea.gov.in/Portal/ForeignRelation/Dominica_18_02_2016.pdf |archive-date=29 April 2016 |access-date=17 April 2017 |website=Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India}}</ref> The Governments of the two countries signed an MoU in October 2011, agreeing to establish an IT Centre for Excellence in Dominica with Indian assistance. The Centre was built at a cost of $7 million and was officially inaugurated at the Dominica State College, Roseau by Prime Minister Skerrit on 3 June 2016. The Centre is operated by Indian nationals.<ref name="MEA2016" />

At the request of the Dominican Government, India approved a grant-in-aid scheme to supply medicines to [[public hospital]]s in the country.<ref name="MEA2016" /> Several consignments of medicines have been shipped to Dominica under the scheme.<ref name="HCI">{{cite web |title=India - Dominica Relations |url=http://www.hcipos.in/eoi.php?id=Dominica |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019003520/http://www.hcipos.in/eoi.php?id=Dominica |archive-date=19 October 2014 |access-date=17 April 2017 |website=High Commission of India, Port of Spain |language=en}}</ref>

Citizens of Dominica are eligible for [[scholarship]]s under the [[Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme]]. The most popular ITEC courses among Dominicans are [[Information technology|IT]], [[Financial management|accounts and financial management]], [[human resource development]], and SME.<ref name="MEA2016" />

Dominican Prime Minister Skerrit donated {{INRConvert|15|l}} to the [[Pingalwara]] Charitable Society at Manawala, during his visit to India on 22 February 2016.<ref>{{cite web|title=Always wanted to visit Pingalwara, says Dominica PM|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/amritsar/always-wanted-to-visit-pingalwara-says-dominica-pm/199920.html|website=The Tribune Chandigarh|access-date=17 April 2017|location=Amritsar|date=23 February 2016}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Foreign relations of Dominica}}
{{Foreign relations of India}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dominica-India relations}}
[[Category:Bilateral relations of Dominica|India]]
[[Category:Bilateral relations of India|Dominica]]
[[Category:Dominica and the Commonwealth of Nations]]
[[Category:India and the Commonwealth of Nations]]
[[Category:Dominica–India relations| ]]

Dominica–India relations - Revision history

TajWagstaff: Started Entry