This article covers the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and The Bahamas, the two countries' cooperation in multilateral forums, visits and meetings of leaders and ministers, the dialogue mechanism and the agreements signed. It is based on the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) bilateral brief on India-The Bahamas relations dated 19 June 2026.

Establishment of relations

According to the MEA brief of June 2026, India and The Bahamas have had diplomatic relations since 16 October 1975, when the two countries formally established bilateral ties. India does not have a resident mission in The Bahamas; the practical article of this guide explains how each country is represented in the other.

The brief states that convergence of views on various important contemporary issues, shared concerns, aspirations and cooperation at multilateral fora have largely shaped and dominated India-Bahamas relations. It adds that, with democratic governance and respect for the rule of law and the rights of their people, both countries share similar aspirations for accelerated economic growth.

Cooperation in multilateral forums

Both countries are members of NAM, G-77, WIPO, the United Nations and its various subsidiary bodies; the brief also lists the WTO, marked "Observer". They are also members of the Commonwealth, and meetings held under its auspices, such as the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), have provided opportunities for bilateral meetings on the sidelines.

The brief describes The Bahamas as supportive of India's aspirations to play a commensurate global role, including in the UN Security Council, and says The Bahamas also expects India to play a much larger role in The Bahamas and the Caribbean region.

The Bahamas supports the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) proposed by India and has consistently supported Indian candidatures to UN and other international bodies, unilaterally or reciprocally. The brief notes support for UNSC reforms and for India to have a seat at the UNSC. The Bahamas has tied up reciprocal support with India for ACABQ elections for 2025 and for UNSC elections for the 2028-29 term.

Visits and meetings

The brief lists the following exchanges:

  • March 1983: Prime Minister Sir Lynden O Pindling attended the 7th NAM Conference, at which The Bahamas was admitted as a new member.
  • October 1985: Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi visited Nassau for CHOGM.
  • September 2005: Secretary (West) visited The Bahamas for the Foreign Office Consultations.
  • January 2006: The Bahamas Minister of Foreign Affairs and Public Service Frederick Mitchell visited India with a business delegation, and two agreements were signed.
  • 23-26 May 2006: MOS (PMO) Shri Prithviraj Chauhan attended the Commonwealth Youth Ministers' Conference in The Bahamas.
  • June 2015: HRD Minister Smt. Smriti Irani attended the 19th Commonwealth Conference of Education Ministers in Nassau.
  • 22-30 April 2016: Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Mr. Frederick Mitchell visited India with a large delegation, described in the trade article.
  • 16-19 October 2017: Minister of Law and Justice and ICT Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad attended the Commonwealth Law Ministers' Conference in Nassau, with a delegation that included the Secretary, Law Ministry and an Additional Secretary, DeiTY.
  • 2019: the Bahamian Foreign Minister attended the 1st ever India-CARICOM Summit in New York.
  • June 2022: External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Foreign Minister Frederick Audley Mitchell met during CHOGM in Kigali.
  • April 2023: Parliamentary Secretary Jamahl Strachan met EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar at the COFCOR summit in Georgetown, and again in September 2023 on the sidelines of UNGA.

On 20 November 2024, Prime Minister Philip Davis took part in the 2nd India-CARICOM Summit in Georgetown, Guyana. He also held a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Summit.

Visit of the Minister of State, March 2025

Minister of State for External Affairs Shri Pabitra Margherita visited The Bahamas from 2-4 March 2025. He met Prime Minister Philip Davis and Foreign Minister Frederick Mitchell, and their discussions covered trade, ICT, environmental cooperation, digital innovation and cultural exchange.

The brief records this as the first standalone bilateral visit to The Bahamas at Ministerial level since the establishment of bilateral relations. The environmental side of the visit is described in the development article of this guide.

Foreign Office Consultations

The two countries have Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) meetings as their dialogue mechanism for bilateral discussions. The first and only FOC meeting was held in Nassau in September 2005. As of June 2026, the brief states that the two sides have commenced discussions on holding the next FOC in The Bahamas in early 2026.

Republic Day reception

The Indian Mission hosted a National Day Reception for the first time ever in January 2018, with the Bahamas Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Darren Henfield, as Chief Guest. The tradition of hosting a Republic Day reception continued until 2020, but has been suspended since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Agreements

The brief lists the following MoUs and agreements between India and The Bahamas:

  • MoU on Foreign Office Consultations, September 2005
  • Agreement for bilateral cooperation, January 2006
  • Agreement for Exchange of Information with respect to taxes, February 2011
  • Agreement for exemption of visa requirements for diplomatic and official passport holders, November 2018

The tax information agreement is described in the trade article and the visa agreement in the practical article of this guide.