January: A small yet beautiful country in South America, Suriname has proposed to remove visa permits and promote ‘visa free travel’ between India and Suriname. President Chandrikapersal Santokhi on 8 January said that the country is ready to take the first initiating step to strengthen the bilateral bonds between the 2 countries. Expressing his wish, the President spoke on the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention organised by India on January 9.
This convention is organised every year by India to commemorate the Mahatma Gandhi arrived in India. This year, amid the covid scare, the event took place virtually. On the occasion, Suriname’s India origin leader also spoke at the external affairs ministry’s flagship event in Bhojpuri dialect.
Santokhi also quoted that Suriname is preparing to take the step in doing so by ending visa permits for visitors from India to Suriname. The president further said that the country diaspora has been a crucial part of India’s soft power and also, India is an integral part of Suriname’s soft power. The president is allowing free movement between the two countries and believes that this step will bring prosperity and add to various sectors including education and science.
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The president said, “The importance of the Indian diaspora can and must be one of the mutual benefits. If we approach the opportunities in this way, we can achieve great things for our countries. In this interconnected world we all live in, we value international relationships based on respect and mutual benefits.”
