Commonwealth of Dominica confers its highest national honour, the Dominica Award of Honour, on Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has received the Dominica Award of Honour, the highest national honor bestowed by the Commonwealth of Dominica. PM Modi received the medal from President Sylvanie Burton in appreciation of his work during the COVID-19 epidemic and his commitment to enhancing ties between Dominica and India.

“This honor is not only mine but of 140 crore people of India, their efforts, their values, and their tradition,” said Prime Minister Modi in his statement of thanks after accepting the coveted award. Together, our two democracies serve as global role models for women’s emancipation. Being able to assist the Dominican people during a pandemic like COVID-19 brings us great happiness.

India and Dominica have a long history of collaboration, which is followed by this honor. During his trip to Guyana, Prime Minister Modi also had bilateral discussions with Roosevelt Skerrit, the prime minister of Dominica, in Georgetown. India’s commitment to developing closer connections with Caribbean countries was emphasized throughout the conference.

Since 1981, India and Dominica have had friendly diplomatic ties, and they have had several high-level interactions. At the 2019 India-CARICOM Leaders’ Meeting in New York, PM Modi and PM Skerrit had their first encounter.

Continued cooperation on a number of projects, such as India’s assistance to Dominica during the COVID-19 epidemic, has distinguished the partnership. For instance, in 2021, 70,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines were sent to Dominica as part of India’s Vaccine Maitri campaign.

India has also taken the initiative to aid in Dominica’s progress. India has contributed USD 1 million to the Kalinago community’s sustainable livelihoods via the India-UNDP Project. Additionally, India has pledged USD 1 million for the Community Resilience Project’s second phase in 2024.

With about 500 members of Indian descent, the Indian diaspora in Dominica is a major factor in strengthening the two nations’ cultural and economic ties. Diaspora members work at academic institutions such as Ross Medical University, retail establishments, and the medical field.