By Dr K J Srinivasa, High Commissioner of India to St. Kitts and Nevis
Namaste! On this auspicious occasion of the 73rd Republic Day, I take the opportunity to convey my heartfelt greetings and best wishes to the 1.3 billion Indians across the world and to all our friends from St Kitts & Nevis. India and St Kitts & Nevis share a deep bond. Currently, India is tackling another Corona wave with caution and alertness. Parallelly, India is also moving ahead in the economic field with many promising results, with the IMF and the World Bank predicting 8.5 per cent GDP growth rates. Today India is filled with the excitement of the celebrations of 75 years of its independence and with the confidence of having administered 1.6 billion corona vaccine doses in just one year.
India is today the world’s third largest pharma producer — a pharmacy to the world. During the COVID crisis, India followed the vision of ‘One Earth, One Health,’ providing necessary medicines and vaccines to many countries. On 1 March 2021, India was the first responder to send 20,000 COVISHIELD Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines to St Kitts & Nevis, and millions more to the Caribbean and many other parts of the world. India also provided US$300,000 under the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis’s “Quick Impact Community Development Projects” Fund for COVID-19 Response, used for procurement of life-saving medical supplies and equipment including ventilators, masks, infrared thermometers, defibrillators, test kits, medicines, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
India is offering a US$10 million line of credit with very low interest rates for solar energy projects in St Kitts & Nevis, as part of a $150 million commitment to CARICOM countries. St Kitts & Nevis has also joined the International Solar Alliance formed under the leadership of India. India has set a target of net zero by 2070, and 40 percent of its current energy mix already comes from non-fossil fuel sources. Every year, India is glad to offer up to 10 St Kitts & Nevisian students the opportunity to study in India under ITEC scholarships. India cherishes its partnership and friendship with St Kitts & Nevis. Long live India–St Kitts & Nevis friendship!