Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness praised the ‘cricket diplomacy’ between their countries on Tuesday, highlighting how cricket’s soft power has been instrumental in strengthening the bonds between their people.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness praised India’s cricketing excellence and Jamaica’s dominance in track and field, underlining that these strengths offer great potential for mutual exchange and collaboration.
“Prime Minister, you can rely on Jamaica’s continued support and active engagement on these initiatives, as well as in the context of the International Solar Alliance. Jamaica’s excellence in track and field and India’s prowess in cricket are winning combinations that offer tremendous opportunities for mutual exchange and cooperation”, PM Holness said in a presser.
He also congratulated India on its victory in the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup held in the West Indies in June and its recent gold medal sweep in the 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad last month.
The two leaders also discussed collaboration in the creative industries, including film. “In our meeting, we discussed cooperation in the creative industries. Jamaica recently established a Film Fund, signalling the Jamaican government’s intent to support local filmmakers. We acknowledge the tremendous success of Bollywood and look forward to collaboration between the Indian film industry and Jamaican filmmakers,” PM Holness added.
Prime Minister Modi highlighted the strong people-to-people ties between the two nations and emphasised the high regard Indian fans have for Jamaican cricketers. He expressed confidence that the ties between the two countries would now move faster than ‘Usain Bolt’.
“India-Jamaica ties are built on our shared history, democratic values, and strong people-to-people connections. These ties are marked by the 4 Cs: Culture, Cricket, Commonwealth, and CARICOM (Caribbean Community). In today’s meeting, we discussed strengthening our cooperation in all these areas and identified new initiatives,” PM Modi said.
“Sports, particularly cricket, have been a strong and important link between our nations. Whether it’s the legendary fast bowling of Courtney Walsh or the explosive batting of Chris Gayle, Indians have a special affection for Jamaican cricketers. I firmly believe that the outcomes from today’s discussions will push our ties forward at the speed of ‘Usain Bolt,’ and we’ll continue reaching new heights,” he added.
Later in the day, the Ministry of External Affairs highlighted that much of the discussion between the two Prime Ministers focused on cricket and the popularity of Jamaican cricketers among Indian fans. The Jamaican PM also expressed gratitude to India for its contributions to the scoreboards and floodlights at Sabina Park Stadium in Jamaica.
“A lot was discussed regarding cricket. In fact, Chris Gayle attended the Prime Minister’s lunch, leading to plenty of cricket-related conversations. The contributions of Jamaican cricket to the world, with icons like Courtney Walsh and Chris Gayle, were acknowledged, as both are immensely popular in India,” said MEA Spokesperson Arindam Mazumdar.
“PM Holness also expressed deep appreciation for India’s support in upgrading Sabina Park with new scoreboards and floodlighting,” Mazumdar added.
The Jamaican Prime Minister is on an official visit to India from September 30 to October 3. This marks his first visit to India and the first-ever bilateral visit by a Jamaican Prime Minister.
He arrived in New Delhi on Monday at the invitation of PM Modi, with Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary receiving him warmly at the airport. During his visit, PM Holness will also travel to Sarnath.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi held bilateral talks with his Jamaican counterpart at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. The meeting was followed by delegation-level discussions between the two leaders.
India and Jamaica share strong historical and cultural linkages, rooted in their shared colonial past, democratic values, and passion for cricket. This visit is expected to further strengthen bilateral relations, enhance economic cooperation, and solidify the longstanding ties between Jamaica and India, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.