This article covers cultural relations between India and Jamaica, education and scholarships, people-to-people links through cinema and cricket, and the Indian community in Jamaica, from the indentured labourers of the 19th century to the diaspora today. The material comes from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) bilateral brief of June 2026.
Cultural cooperation
According to the MEA brief of June 2026, there is a keen interest in Jamaica in India's culture, religion, performing arts and philosophy. The brief says Jamaicans relate their festivities to the folkloric traditions and celebrations of India. As of the brief, there is no ICCR cultural centre in Jamaica.
India and Jamaica signed an agreement for cooperation in the field of culture in March 1996, and an MoU on the Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP) covers 2024-29.
An MoU for setting up an ICCR Chair of Indology/Gandhian studies was signed in 2012 between ICCR and the University of West Indies, and was further renewed in 2022. Under this arrangement, a professor from India is deputed by ICCR to teach philosophy at the University of West Indies.
In December 2021, six participants from Jamaica visited India under ICCR's Distinguished Visitor's Programme titled "Gen-Next Democracy Network". They included Members of Parliament from the ruling and opposition parties as well as participants from media and business.
Scholarships
In addition to training places under ITEC, 5 ICCR scholarships are offered to Jamaica annually. As of the June 2026 brief, 3 ICCR scholarship students are in India.
Mahatma Gandhi in Jamaica
The brief states that Mahatma Gandhi is highly regarded among the people of Jamaica. A statue of Mahatma Gandhi depicting the "Dandi March", donated by ICCR, was installed at the University of West Indies, Mona Campus, Kingston in July 2012. Another statue stands in front of the Kingston city Library.
On 25 September 2019, Prime Minister Andrew Holness was one of the select speakers at a special event organised by India at UN Headquarters to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
In July 2021, a bust of Mahatma Gandhi was installed in Clarendon Library in the city of May Pen, which has a large Indian diaspora. During his May 2026 visit, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar paid floral tribute at the bust of Mahatma Gandhi at the University of West Indies Mona Campus.
International Day of Yoga
The first International Day of Yoga in Jamaica was organised at the National Indoor Stadium in Kingston on 21 June 2015, and it is now an annual feature. IDY 2025 was held at the Historic Royal Botanical Garden in Kingston with nearly 400 participants.
Cinema, television and broadcasting
The brief describes Indian cinema and television shows as popular among Jamaicans. Bollywood films are regularly screened in cities such as Montego Bay, Kingston and Ocho Rios, which have a concentration of Indian diaspora, and some Indian television shows are broadcast in Jamaica.
In May 2025, Film Commissioner of Jamaica Ms. Jackie Jacqueline Jackson and Ms. Nadeen Rawlins, President of the Jamaica Film and Television Association (JAFTA), visited India to take part in the WAVES Summit in Mumbai.
In October 2021, the Public Broadcasting Corporation of Jamaica and the High Commission of India, Kingston signed an agreement for commissioning a documentary on the Indian diaspora in Jamaica.
Cricket and sport
The brief describes close cooperation between India and Jamaica in the field of cricket. India gifted 100 cricket kits to Jamaica in 2023-24, and an MoU on sports cooperation was signed in 2024.
India-Jamaica Friendship Garden
In 2021, the High Commission of India, Kingston signed an agreement with the Nature Preservation Foundation (NPF) for establishing an India-Jamaica Friendship Garden at the Hope Botanical Gardens.
The Indian community
The brief describes Jamaica as one of the girmitya countries. The links go back to the 19th century, when more than 36,000 Indians were brought to British Jamaica as indentured labourers between 1845 and 1917. Around two-thirds of them remained on the island.
As of the June 2026 brief, Jamaica has an Indian diaspora numbering around 70,000, which the brief describes as a living bridge with India. Their forefathers came mostly from Eastern UP, Bihar, Basti, Deoria and Gorakhpur. While most were from the Bhojpuri and Awadhi region, a significant minority was from South India.
The diaspora constitutes around 3% of the Jamaican population. The brief states that the diaspora is well integrated in Jamaican society and is described as "genetically embedded and integrated in the Jamaican society". Its contributions to the socio-economic development of Jamaica have been recognised at the highest levels, and 10 May is observed as India Heritage Day in Jamaica.
Associations of the Indian diaspora named in the brief include:
- National Council for Indian Culture in Jamaica (PIOs)
- Indian Culture Society in Jamaica
- Montego Bay Association of Indians
- Ocho Rios Indians Association
180 years of arrival
The year 2025 was celebrated as the commemoration of 180 Years of arrival of Indians in Jamaica. The Indian mission, with the National Council for Indian Culture in Jamaica and Jamaica's Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports, organised a three-day celebration of India Arrival Day. It opened with a curtain raiser at Emancipation Park on 9 May 2025 and included India Arrival Day at Chedwin Park, Spanish Town on 11 May 2025.
A festival of Rangtarang was held in Montego Bay on 10 May 2025 to mark India Heritage Day as part of these celebrations. A cultural troupe from ICCR visited Jamaica to take part.
During his visit in May 2026, the External Affairs Minister visited the Indian Arrival Memorial at Old Harbour and unveiled a re-dedication plaque commemorating 180 Years of arrival of Indians in Jamaica. He announced a contribution of JMD 2 million for the celebration of India Arrival Day on 10 May 2026 and interacted with members of the Indian diaspora.