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Suriname President Santokhi proposes visa-free travel with India, greater cooperation in IT and hi-tech
The Indian-origin president made the suggestions while delivering the keynote address as chief guest at the virtual Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention, the external affairs ministry’s flagship event to connect with overseas Indians.
Suriname President Chandrikapersad Santokhi on Saturday proposed the free movement of people between his country and India without visas and the creation of a special diaspora committee to identify opportunities for bilateral cooperation.
The Indian-origin president made the suggestions while delivering the keynote address as chief guest at the virtual Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention, the external affairs ministry’s flagship event to connect with overseas Indians.
People of Indian-origin, mostly descendents of indentured workers taken from the Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in the 19th century, constitute the largest ethnic group in Suriname and account for more than a quarter of the country’s population of almost 550,000.
Santokhi, who began and ended his speech by speaking in a Bhojpuri dialect that is common in Suriname, proposed that the two countries should introduce the free movement of people without requiring visas. “Suriname is prepared to take a first step in doing so by ending visa permits for visitors from India to Suriname,” he said.
He also reiterated a proposal he first made in 2017 to establish a special Indian diaspora committee to study opportunities for cooperation in areas such as information technology and science and to come up with a report with practical proposals that can benefit both countries.
Such measures will benefit tourism and give impetus to business opportunities between the two sides. “The importance of the Indian diaspora can and must be one of mutual benefits. If we approach the opportunities in this way, we can achieve great things for our countries,” he said.
The “Suriname diaspora is part of India’s soft power” and consequently, “India is also part of Suriname’s soft power”, Santokhi added.
Calling for greater business ties between the two sides, Santokhi said Suriname would welcome Indian expertise to achieve food security, which he identified as one of the main global challenges, and to re-establish the country’s rice industry that once exported its products to the Punjab.
Diaspora students and researchers should be able to tap into Indian expertise, while Suriname’s young population can be a great resource for IT consultancy and development, he said. “In this inter-connected world we all live in, we value international relationships based on respect and mutual benefits,” he added.
Santokhi said Suriname and India have historical connections going back 148 years, which have shaped the lives of many migrants who travelled from India but maintained their cultural roots and heritage. “Like many of my countrymen, I am also the product of this history of migration,” he said.
Suriname’s political leadership has been inspired by the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi to bring people together and to “do so peacefully and in the traditions of an open and democratic society”. He added: “I also feel pride in being of Indian heritage, a heritage and culture which was passed on by my parents and grandparents, who 148 years ago, started this adventurous journey from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and sailed from Kolkata in search of their dreams for a better life in Suriname,” he said.
Suriname’s Hindustanis are part of every aspect of society and the country is a democracy governed by rule of law based on universal principles such as equality, non-discrimination, respect for basic human rights, free speech and freedom to worship any faith, Santokhi said.
At the same time, the Indian-origin people maintained their heritage, culture and customs, and Suriname now has “vibrant Hindu and Muslim communities” that speak Bhojpuri, observe Diwali as a national holiday, cherish Bollywood and benefit from Indian IT, he said. “In short, India and Suriname are bonded on many levels – historically, religiously, linguistically and culturally,” he said.
