Brief on India – Commonwealth of Dominica Relations

     1. India enjoys traditionally friendly and warm relations with Commonwealth of Dominica since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1981.                                                          Commonwealth of Dominica is concurrently accredited to the High Commission of India in Port of Spain and does not have a diplomatic Mission in India. 

2. There have been regular meetings between the leaders of the two countries on the sidelines of multilateral fora. PM Shri Narendra Modi and Dominica’s Prime Minister Mr. Roosevelt Skerrit interacted during the 1st India-CARICOM Leaders’ Summit in September 2019 on the sidelines of UNGA in New York. They again met on the margins of the 2nd India-CARICOM Summit in Guyana on November 20, 2024. 
   
   
3. PM Roosevelt Skerrit paid a private visit to India in February 2016. He again visited India on Oct 25-28, 2024 to participate in NDTV First World Summit in Chandigarh. At that time, he was hosted by MoS for External Affairs Shri Pabitra Margherita in New Delhi for a bilateral meeting.
   
   
4. On the margins of the 2nd India-CARICOM Summit in Guyana on November 20, 2024, H.E. Sylvanie Burton D.A.H, President of Dominica conferred upon PM Shri Narendra Modi the "Dominica Award of Honour", the highest National Award of Dominica in recognition of PM’s statesmanship and contribution to the Commonwealth of Dominica during the COVID pandemic and his commitment to strengthening India-Dominica ties. 
   
   
5. Mr. Joseph Isaac, Speaker of the House of Assembly of Dominica attended the 28th Commonwealth Speakers & Presiding Officers Conference (CSPOC) in New Delhi on January 14-16, 2026. He also had a meeting with Shri Om Birla, Speaker of the Lok Sabha and other Parliamentarians. The discussions focused on bilateral cooperation, including exploring potential of India’s Committee System as a model for legislative excellence. 
   
   
6. Dr Vince Henderson, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business, Trade and Energy virtually participated in the India-COFCOR Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Georgetown, Guyana on April 21, 2023. He was one of the speakers at the ‘India-UN for Global South: Delivering for Development’ event in New York on Sept 23, 2023, during India’s G20 Presidency, held on the margins of the 78th UNGA. EAM Dr S. Jaishankar and Dr. Vince Henderson co-chaired the India-CARICOM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New York on Sep 27, 2024, on the sidelines of 79th UNGA. 
   
   
7. Dr. Cassandra Williams, Minister in the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Social Services attended the 2nd Voice of Global South Summit (VOGSS 2.0) on global issues on Nov 17, 2023. Ms. Octavia Alfred, Minister of Education participated at the Education Ministers' Session at the VoGSS 3.0 on August 17, 2024. As regards bilateral visits, Mrs. Anupriya Patel, Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare visited Dominica from May 11-12, 2018. During the visit, she called on the President, PM and other leaders of Dominica. Dr Vince Henderson participated in the 8th Session of the International Solar Alliance in New Delhi on Oct 27-30, 2025.
   
   
8. MoS Visit to Dominica: MoS Shri Pabitra Margherita paid an Official Visit to Dominica from May 14-16, 2026. During the visit, MoS called on Ms Sylvanie Burton, President and Dr Irving McIntyre, Acting PM and Minister of Finance, Economic Development, Climate Resilience & Social Security. MoS had bilateral talks with Dr Vince Henderson Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business, Trade and Energy on a range of bilateral and global issues of mutual interest. Two MoUs were signed between the two sides: MoU Pharmacopoeial Cooperation and another for a Quick Impact Project (QIP) for building a patch of road in Grand Bay area. MoS visited other QIP sites, as well as the indigenous Kalinago area where a USD 1 million Community Resilience Project is under implementation under the India-UNDP fund. 
   
   
9. The Government of Dominica strongly condemned terrorist attacks in India, including the Pahalgam attack and Delhi blast and expressed solidarity with the Government and people of India. It called both the incidents as ‘heinous’. There is an excellent cooperation between India and Dominica in multilateral fora. Dominica has been supporting India’s various candidatures.

Development Partnership

10. Quick Impact Projects (QIPs): An Umbrella agreement for implementation of QIPs was signed between India and Dominica in July 2025. Subsequently, 5 individual MoUs for QIPs were signed on Oct 14, 2025. The projects are currently under implementation: i) Rehabilitation of the Grand Bay Basket Ball Court, ii) Rehabilitation of 235 m of a Farm Access/Feeder Road in Macaton, Grand Bay, iii) Rehabilitation of the St. Elmo’s Road in St. Elmo’s Estate, Upper Giraudel, iv) Rehabilitation of portions of a Farm Access Road in Carholme, and v) Construction of a Footpath crossing at Fond St. Jean. 
    
    
11. India-UNDP Projects: A USD 1 million project for “Resilient Rehabilitation of Salisbury Educational Facility in Dominica Post-Hurricane Maria” was granted in 2018 for rehabilitation of two buildings at Salisbury Educational Facility that were severely damaged by Hurricane Maria (Sep 2017). The project was completed in March 2020. A USD 1 million Project under India-UNDP Fund for “Strengthening Sustainable Livelihoods and Resilience in the Kalinago Community” was launched in Feb 2021 and was accomplished in Jan 2024. Another USD 1 million project i.e. 2nd phase of the Community Resilience Project in the Kalinago Territory was launched in Dec 2024 and is currently progressing. 
    
    
12. Donation of vaccines and medicines: Under the Vaccine Maitri Initiative, Government of India donated 70,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines to Dominica. Prime Minister Skeritt personally received the consignment at the airport on Feb 9, 2021. Medical aid was also donated to Dominica during the pandemic at a virtual ceremony held on Aug 26, 2020. Dr. Irving Mclntyre, the then Minister of Health, Wellness and New Health Investment received the consignment. In 2016, GoI provided medicines under Grant-in-aid scheme to Dominica for their public hospitals. 
    
    
13. Capacity Building: India has increased the number of annual training slots to 30 for Dominican nationals under the ITEC Programme at various training institutions in India. 
    
    
14. Disaster relief: In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017, GoI provided financial support of USD 1 lakh as immediate relief and granted USD 1 million for infrastructure reconstruction in Dominica under the India-UNDP Fund under which the Salisbury Educational Facility was rehabilitated. In Aug 2015, GoI provided humanitarian assistance of USD 200,000 to the Dominican Government in the wake of Tropical Storm Erica. India also donated USD 1,00,000 in Dec 2011 in the wake of Hurricane Ophelia and humanitarian assistance of USD 300,000 in December 2013 in the wake of flash floods.
    
    
15. Centre for Excellence in IT (CEIT): An MoU was signed between India and Dominica for the setting up of a Centre of Excellence in IT in Dominica in October 2011. The Centre was officially inaugurated in May 2016. It awarded Graduation certificates to successful students in a ceremony organised in June 2017. Around 600 Dominican students received various IT trainings at the Centre. The Centre was damaged in Hurricane Maria in Sep 2017.

Agreements/MOUs

16. An MoU was signed between the Department of Agricultural Research and Education and the Division of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Dominica for cooperation in the field of education and research in agriculture and allied areas in Oct 2011. Another MoU for Reciprocal Recognition of Covid Vaccination Certificate was signed between the two sides on April 8, 2022.

Economic & Commercial Relations

17. Post-pandemic, the trade volume between India and Dominica has been gradually increasing with a substantial hike in the last couple of years. India’s top items of exports include: Pharmaceutical Products; Vehicles; Ceramic Products; and Iron & Steel. India’s top items of imports include: Iron & Steel; Electrical Machinery & Equipment; Sound Recorders; Pulp of Wood etc.

Source: DoC, GoI

18. In 2024, M/S Kalpataru Projects International Limited (KPIL) has been awarded a US$ 38.9 million contractto build the power transmission and substation infrastructure for Dominica's first-ever geothermal power plant.About 70-80 employees of the company are currently deployed on the project site.

Cultural Relations

19. An ICCR-sponsored 9-member Percussion Group “Drums of India” led by Shri Jaya Bhaskar Peravali visited Dominica for participation in the Dominica Festival of Arts "DOMFESTA" in May 2012. The group gave performances throughout the country and were honorary guests at the “Night of the Classics'. A cultural and community event was held to promote cultural relations with Indian diaspora at Goodwill Parish Hall, Roseau on 15 June 2024. Mission actively participated in the ‘Flavours of the World Festival’ in Dominica on Sept 29, 2024 and again on Sept 28, 2025. 
    
    
20. The International Day of Yoga (IDY) is being celebrated in Dominica with robust participation for the last few years. The 12th IDY was celebrated at the Old Mill Cultural Centre in Dominica on June 7, 2025 with Mr Cassanni Laville, Minister of Health, Wellness and Social Services as the Chief Guest. Mission has been celebrating Independence Day and Republic Day of India in Dominica regularly.  The 77th Republic Day of India was celebrated at the Botanical Garden in Roseau with great enthusiasm with active participation of the Indian diaspora. Mr Vince Henderson, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business, Trade and Energy of Dominica was the Chief Guest on the occasion. 

Consular 

21. On May 7, 2021, India and Dominica signed a bilateral agreement for visa free movement of diplomats and officials further consolidating the close relationship between the two countries. The Government of India has approved e-Tourist Visa for citizens of Dominica.

Indian Community

22. Nearly 100-150 Indian nationals are based in Dominica in different fields, including retail businesses, nursing, etc. Mission has been in touch with them on regular basis.

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29 June 2026