St Kitts-Nevis PM Harris congratulates India's Modi on his re-election as PM

St. Kitts and Nevis' Prime Minister, Dr. Timothy Harris extends congratulations to India's newly re-elected Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, who was sworn in for a second term on Thursday, May 30th, 2019 along with his Council of Ministers. Narendra Modi was first sworn in as India's Prime Minister on May 26th, 2014.

"My Team Unity administration and I are assured that our country's convivial relationship with India's government and people will continue to blossom and bear fruit, as Prime Minister Modi has proven to be an enthusiastic advocate of strengthened engagement with the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis," says Prime Minister Harris.

For instance, when St. Kitts and Nevis celebrated its 34th anniversary of Independence on September 19th, 2017, Prime Minister Modi sent a congratulatory letter addressed to Prime Minister Harris, saying in part: "India highly values its relationship with Saint Kitts and Nevis. We are committed to further expanding, deepening and consolidating our relations with Saint Kitts and Nevis. I look forward to working with Your Excellency in this endeavour."

On February 16th, 2018, the three-year anniversary of Team Unity's election victory in St. Kitts and Nevis, the Federation and the Republic of India signed an agreement on the waiver of visa requirements for holders of diplomatic and official/service passports.

Remarking on recent improvements in diplomatic relations between the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis and the Republic of India, Prime Minister Harris says, "Cognizant of the mutually beneficial nature of our relations, Prime Minister Modi and I will continue to explore avenues for further collaboration and partnership between our people."

Prime Minister Harris also notes that, "The Indian population in St. Kitts and Nevis has registered a steady increase in recent years as more and more businesspeople choose our beautiful country over others to open shops and raise their families, and students of Indian descent continue to come here to pursue their medical education at our global universities."

In a meaningful gesture and a sign of an ever-deepening bond of friendship between the two countries, Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris issued a statement last November to mark the occasion of Diwali, the biggest holiday in the Indian tradition.

In July 2007, St. Kitts and Nevis signed a Memorandum of Understanding with India to enhance the mechanism of Foreign Office Consultations. Then, in August 2008, India's government appointed the late Mr. Kishu D. Chandiramani as Honorary Consul of India in St. Kitts and Nevis. This deepening of relations occurred during Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris' tenure as Minister of Foreign Affairs (August 2001 – August 2008).