New Delhi| The Presidents of Guyana and Suriname arrived in India to participate in the 17th Pravasi Divas Convention beginning in Indore on Sunday. Guyana President Mohamed Irfan Ali, who is on a seven-day visit to the country, is the chief guest at India’s biggest expatriate conference and also the recipient of the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award. Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra, Water Resources Minister Tulsi Silavat and other officials welcomed Suriname President Chandrika Prasad Santokhi on his arrival in Indore. Santoshi is a special guest at the Pravasi Sammelan.
The two leaders are scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where they will discuss migration, mobility, food processing and energy.
The two leaders will also meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and leave India on January 14.
The three-day conference is taking place at a time when India is entering a period of ‘Amrit Kaal’ and charting the vision for the next 25 years for the country.
More than 3,500 diaspora members from around 70 countries have registered for the PBD Convention.
The 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas will begin with the inauguration of the Yuva Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, which will be organized in partnership with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Janet Mascarenhas, Member of Parliament of Australia, will attend the ceremony as a special guest.
Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate the conference on January 9.
The last PBD meeting was held virtually in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
