On the final leg of his three-nation visit, PM Modi arrived in Georgetown, marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Guyana in 56 years. Making up more than 40% of the Guyanese population, the people of Indian origin, separated by huge distances sharing similar cultural values hold India in high esteem. The British imported Indians as indentured labour to Guyana 186 years ago. They form one of the “Oldest Diasporas” to have migrated from India.

To commemorate the high-level visit of an Indian PM, breaking diplomatic protocol, Guyana President Mohammed Irfaan Ali, PM Mark Anthony Philips, and the entire cabinet received PM Modi at the airport. A ceremonial welcome was also extended at the airport.

PM of Grenada, Dicken Mitchell, the co-chair of the 2^nd India-CARICOM Summit, and Barbados PM Mia also received PM Modi at the airport. As a mark of great honour, the Mayor of Georgetown presented the key to the city of Georgetown to PM Modi.

The South American country began to receive marked global attention since the discovery of significant oil reserves offshore Guyana by Exxon Mobil in 2015 in the Stabroek block. With a staggering 62.3% real GDP growth hike, in 2022, the impact of the increased oil production began to kick in. With an annual average of 6,45,000 b/d production, the third largest by a non-OPEC nation, after the US and Brazil, Guyana’s economic trajectory surged. Over the years, Guyana has partnered with the US and Chinese companies in its offshore explorations. Currently, Exxon Mobil has 45% stakes and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) has 25% stakes in the Stabroek block.

The economic boom has potentially changed the economic outlook of Guyana, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. With the discovery of the oil deposits, Venezuela intensified its claims over the oil-rich Essequibo territory that accounts for two-thirds of Guyana. Through relentless military buildup, Venezuela has ratcheted up tensions in the region. In December 2023, holding a non-binding referendum in December 2023, Venezuela heightened the threats to annex the region.

Oil discovery has opened up new opportunities for development and investment. Endowed with rich reserves of gold, diamond and bauxite, Guyana is planning to expand mining significantly. Besides, the US, with a marked presence in Latin America, China a partner in oil exploration is an active player in Guyana. Beijing has steadily cemented ties with Guyana inking a slew of infrastructure development projects.

Guyana’s ties with China can be traced to 1972 when the country’s first President Arthur Raymond Chung of Chinese-descent established diplomatic ties with Beijing. Ever since, China's presence increased in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Keen to attract diverse investments, Ali in response to a query on Guyana-China bilateral ties said, “We see China as an important part of the energy equation of our country. We continue to encourage China, as we encourage everyone, to participate fully in the bidding process of this energy platform that we are developing at a global scale”. Post oil discovery, toying with several options, President Ali encouraged bids and investments from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE and the UK. He reposed an interest in strengthening ties with his ancestral country, India.

Though India and Guyana established diplomatic ties in 1966, New Delhi hardly invested any diplomatic capital to rejuvenate ties with a region populated dominantly by people of Indian descent. India regularly invited Guyanese leaders for the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas and PM Modi met the leaders along the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Fortaleza, Brazil and UNGA annual meetings. Most recently, India bestowed the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award, the highest award for overseas Indians on President Irfaan Ali during his visit as Chief Guest for the 2023 Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.  While India attempted to maintain a strong cultural connect, it hasn’t focused much on bringing to bear the untapped potential of broadening ties with Guyana.

India-Guyana ties registered a marked uptick in the past couple of years. In April 2023, India delivered the GRSE-build ferry MA Lisha commissioned by Guyana. The launch renewed the 185-year-old connection with Guyana when Indians departed from the shores of Kolkata. Both countries commenced negotiations on a five-year agreement for oil supplies.

Guyana is in the throes of a resource boom. With 11 billion barrels of proven offshore petrol reserves, India, the third largest consumer of oil can circumvent uncertainties of supply chains by partnering with Guyana in terms of exploration, refining and tech support. This potential win-win situation can be mutually beneficial. Through prospective bids for exploration, India can gain entry into a region dominated by China and the US.

Guyana’s economic fortunes have escalated conflicting claims over Guyana’s maritime waters by Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela and Surinam. This has reinforced the need for bolstering the country’s defences. A strong defence cooperation with India can be beneficial to Guyana.

PM Modi held restricted and delegation-level meetings with President Ali to take stock of the bilateral ties. In all, India and Guyana signed 10 MoUs on cooperation in the hydrocarbon sector; agriculture and allied sectors; cultural exchange programme; recognition of Indian Pharmacopoeia regulations; implementation of Jan Aushadi Scheme; cooperation in medical products; INDIA STACK; deployment of UPI like system; broadcasting and training of defence forces.

PM Modi paid homage at the Arrival Monument, visited the Arya Samaj Monument and Saraswati Vidya Niketan. Infusing a fresh momentum to the ancestral connect, PM Modi addressed a gathering of the Indian Community and called them “Rashtradoots”- ‘the ambassadors of Indian culture and values’. Speaking about Cricket, an interest that binds India and Guyana, PM Modi interacted with famous cricketers of Guyana, including Clive Lloyd, Alvin Kallicharran, Shiv Narayan Chanderpaul, Devendra Bishoo, Hetmyer.

Receiving the ‘Order of Excellence’, the highest national award of Guyana, PM Modi said, “This honour does not only belong to me but also to 1.4 billion Indians”. Hosted to a seven-curry traditional meal by the President, PM Modi thanked him for the hospitality and planted a sapling as part of “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam”.  

Latin America is a Chinese den and Guyana is a part of the BRI. As a late entrant into the region, emphasising Indian foreign policy attributes, PM Modi addressing the special session of Guyana Parliament said, “We have always stayed away from the feeling of occupying resources and grabbing resources. I believe be it land or sea, these shouldn’t be objects of conflict but of universal cooperation”. Expounding India's approach, he said, “If even one country, even one region is left behind, then our global goals will never be achieved. That is why India says -- every nation matters”.

Speaking on geopolitical tensions, he noted, “Today there are many challenges like terrorism, drugs, cybercrime, and only by fighting them we will be able to improve the future of our future generations. And, this is possible only when we give centre stage to Democracy First- Humanity First”.

This is the time for the Global South awakening and for developing countries to stay united. “There is an opportunity for us to work together and create a new global order. India has always worked on the basis of trust, transparency and principles. India stood for global peace and development”.

In his tightly packed Guyana visit, PM Modi also co-chaired the 2^nd India-CARICOM Summit along with PM Dicken Mitchell of Grenada, the current chair.  The Summit was attended by heads of 11 member states and foreign ministers of 3 countries.

CARICOM (Caribbean Community) with headquarters at Georgetown was established in 1973 to promote economic integration and cooperation comprising 20 countries. It has 15 Member states (Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Jamaica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Monserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago) and 5 Associated States (Eel, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands). The first India-CARICOM Summit was held along the sidelines of UNGA in New York in September 2019.

In his opening remarks, PM Modi said, “Relations between India and CARICOM countries are based on our shared past experiences, our shared present-day needs and our shared aspirations for the future”. He enlisted the seven pillars of CARICOM- C for Capacity Building; A for Agriculture and food security; R for Renewable Energy and Climate Change; I for Innovation, Technology and Trade; C for Cricket and Culture; O for Ocean Economy and Maritime Security and M for Medicine and Health Care. All of the pillars of cooperation encompass the issues that have relevance to CARICOM.

By standing shoulder to shoulder in times of real need, especially during health emergencies and natural disasters, India earned the acclaim of a reliable partner. In recognition of India’s generous gift of vaccines and timely medical assistance at the height of COVID, the Commonwealth of Dominica conferred the highest national award, the Dominica Award of Honour on PM Modi. Expressing gratitude for India’s timely help Barbados along honoured PM Modi with an Honorary Order of Excellence.

During the summit, India proposed to popularise yoga to tackle lifestyle diseases, increase 1000 Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Scholarships for the next five years and organise Jaipur foot camps annually. India pledged to promote women’s cricket and supply passenger vessels and ferries for seamless transport in these Small Island Nations. Indeed, PM Modi assured that “For India, you are not Small Island States but Large Ocean Countries” and promised to enhance cooperation on drug trafficking, piracy, illegal fishing and human trafficking and to work together on maritime domain mapping and hydrography.  

India has offered to establish a Forensic Centre for CARICOM along the lines of India’s “i-GOT KARMAYOGI Portal” and set up Drug Testing Centres, ‘Bhishma’ mobile hospitals, provide the Siddharth Two cancer therapy machine developed in India and, Jan Aushadi Centres.

Along the sidelines of the Summit, PM Modi met leaders of Guyana, Dominica, Bahamas, Trinidad & Tobago, Suriname, Barbados, Antigua & Barbuda, Grenada & St. Lucia. Evolving a framework that is in sync with the felt needs of CARICOM, PM Modi demonstrated an emphatic understanding of the concerns of countries of the Global South.

A strong bilateral partnership between India and Guyana can be mutually beneficial. While Guyana can be a solution to India’s quest for energy security, the latter can tap into India’s expertise and political heft to navigate through the regional challenges amid its recent economic boom. Invoking historical connections and expanding the arenas of cooperation, PM Modi has revitalised and rejuvenated bilateral relations with Guyana, which can be India’s gateway to the Latin American and Caribbean region.

References

1. https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=62103#:~:text=Guyana's%20discovered%20oil%20and%20natural,project%20in%20the%20Stabroek%20block.
2. https://www.mea.gov.in/bilateral-documents.htm?dtl/38559/List_of_Outcomes__State_Visit_of_Prime_Minister_to_Guyana_November_1921_2024
3. https://www.mea.gov.in/Speeches-Statements.htm?dtl/38563/English_Translation_of_Opening_Remarks_by_the_Prime_Minister_at_the_2nd_IndiaCARICOM_Summit
4. https://www.mea.gov.in/Speeches-Statements.htm?dtl/38564/Closing_Remarks_by_Prime_Minister_at_the_2nd_IndiaCARICOM_Summit
5. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/pm-in-guyana-house-india-has-refrained-from-expansionism/articleshow/115544331.cms