1. India and Belize have traditionally enjoyed friendly and cordial relations, based on shared values, mutual regard and broad understanding on diverse issues, including in the international fora. Both countries are strong democracies and members of the Global South, NAM and the Commonwealth and share commonalities such as an English-speaking population.

2. India and Belize established diplomatic relations on 28 March, 1983. The Indian Embassy in Mexico is concurrently accredited to Belize. India has an Honorary Consul in Belize while Belize has an Honorary Consul in Delhi.

Recent political interactions

3. Shri Pabitra Margherita, MOS for External Affairs, visited Belize on 12-13 May, 2026. During the visit, he called  on Governor General Dame Froyla Tzalam and discussed avenues for bilateral cooperation. He also met with Amalia Mai, the then Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, where the discussions centered on strengthening the bilateral relations between Belize and India. He held bilateral meetings with members of the Cabinet including Mr. Rodwell Ferguson Hon’ble Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Kevin Bernard Hon’ble Minister of Health & Wellness of Belize and other  prominent personalities from other walks of life, and interacted warmly with the Indian diaspora and the East Indian community. He paid tributes at the statue of Father of Nation of India, Mahatma Gandhi at the University of Belize campus in Belmopan, and at the statue of the Father of the Nation of Belize, Rt. Hon. Sir George Price. Meetings at the level of Foreign Ministers took place on the sidelines of multilateral forums such as the UNGA, Commonwealth, Central American Integration System (SICA) and Caribbean countries (CARICOM).

4. Ms. Carolyn Ann Trench Sandiford, President of the Senate of Belize and Mr. Marconi Devane Leal, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of Belize, attended the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) in New Delhi from 14 – 16 January 2026.

5. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi held a meeting with Prime Minister of Belize, Mr. John Briceno, on the sidelines of COP-26 in Glasgow on 1 November, 2021.

India CARICOM Summits

6. At the 2nd India-CARICOM Summit held in Georgetown, Guyana, on 20 November 2024, Belize was represented by Mr. Francis Fonseca, Hon’ble Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Education, Culture, Science and Technology. Prime Minister Briceno attended the 1st India-CARICOM Summit held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York in September, 2019 during which Prime Minister Modi met with the leaders of the CARICOM group of countries. At the Fourth India- CARICOM Foreign Ministers’ Ministerial Meeting, held in Georgetown, on 21 April, 2023, Belize was represented by Ambassador Amalia Mai, the then CEO of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Immigration. 

India -SICA

7. India established a dialogue forum at the level of the Foreign Ministers, with the countries of the System of Integration in Central America (SICA), including Belize, in 2004 to provide an institutional framework for strengthening and expanding the relationship with the Central American countries. The then CEO of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Ms. Amalia Mai attended the 5th India-SICA Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held on the sidelines of UNGA on 25 September 2025 in New York. Earlier, EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar met with the then Foreign Minister of Belize Mr. Eamon Courtenay along with the Foreign Ministers of other SICA member countries at the SICA- India Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation, held in Panama City, on 25 April, 2023. It was the fourth meeting between the Foreign Ministers, including one on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Head of Governments’ Meeting (CHOGM) in 2022.
 

Voice of Global South Summits:

8. Belize participated in the 3rd Voice of Global South Summit, held on 17 August 2024, in virtual format in New Delhi. Ms. Dian Maheia, CEO, Ministry of Education, participated in the Education Ministers’ Session. Minister of Health of Belize, H.E. Mr. Kevin Bernard participated in the 2nd VOGS Summit hosted by India in virtual mode on 17 November 2023 in New Delhi. Mr. Christopher Coye, MoS for Finance, Economic Development and Investment of Belize, participated in the Finance Ministers’ Session (on 13 January, 2023) during the 1st VOGS Summit, hosted by India in virtual mode from 12-13 January 2023.
 

Economic & Commercial

9. Bilateral trade in 2025 was US$ 16.860 million with Indian exports at US$ 16.607 million and Belize’s exports to India at US$ 0.253 million. Tobacco products, pharmaceuticals, auto-motives, chemicals, apparel and clothing accessories, iron and steel products and electrical machinery have been the major exports from India. However, there is potential for the growth of garments, chemicals, automotive and pharmaceutical sectors. There is also potential for Indian investment in tourism, agricultural, fisheries and food processing sectors. India’s imports from Belize in 2025 were primarily animal food, and scrap aluminum. Belize did not export any services to India in 2025. 

Development Partnership

10. Development partnership is an important element in India Belize relations. India has been extending assistance to Belize for disaster relief and for meeting its developmental needs, including donation of medicines, computers, fire-trucks etc. Scholarships for capacity-building are being availed by Belize under India’s ITEC and other schemes for many decades.

11. The India – Belize Centre of Engineering (IBCE) was established in the University of Belize, Belmopan. The Project was completed on 30 August 2022. High Commissioner visited the Centre in Belmopan on 10 January 2025.

12. Government of India donated 25,000 doses of Covishield vaccines to Belize in March 2021 and a shipment of medical supplies in June 2020 to fight Covid19. Further 10,000 doses of Covishield vaccines were donated in July 2022. A shipment of 10,000 doses of Covovax vaccine was received by Belize in April 2023.

13. Solar mamas from Belize were trained under ITEC are playing critical role in electrifying villages with solar panels and Belize has requested for training of more solar mamas. A Mahatma Gandhi Internet Resource Centre established with Indian aid was inaugurated in February 2019. In February 2013 and March 2017, India granted computers to the St. John’s College Belize for upgrading the IT infrastructure at the Orange Walk Institute for Technical and Vocational Education and Training.
 

14. 18 ITEC slots are annually offered by India to Belize. In addition, a special course on Comprehensive Disaster Risk Management for 20 personnel from Belize, was organized by NIDM, India from 17-28 March 2025. Belizean Diplomats regularly attend courses organized by the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service (SSIFS), India.  
 

Development projects funded through the India – UN Development Partnership Fund

15. The India-UN Development Partnership Fund is a dedicated facility established in 2017 within the UNFSSC. The Fund supports Southern-owned and led, demand-driven, and transformational sustainable development projects in the developing world with focus on LDCs and SIDS. It is supported and led by India, managed by UN Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), and implemented in collaboration with the United Nations system, who in turn implement the projects in collaboration with partnering governments. A project to support Infrastructure for Human Development, Health and Sports in Belize was completed in March 2021. Another project towards strengthening Clinical Management of COVID-19 Patients and Reducing of Risk of COVID-19 Transmission among Health Workers in Belize was completed in 2023. A third project for strengthening of the Maternal and Child Health Services (MCH) in CARICOM Member States to support the attainment, maintenance and sustainability of the elimination of Mother-to-Child transmission (EMTCT) Plus of HIV, Syphilis and Hepatitis B is currently underway. 
 

Cultural

16. A statue of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled by Prime Minister of Belize, Mr. John Briceno on 10 January 2025 at the Belmopan campus of the University of Belize. Prime Minister Briceno also planted a sapling of a Peepal Tree under the campaign Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam near the statue. Inspired by the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, the University lawn around the statue was named as Peace Park. The statue was commissioned by ICCR.

Indian Diaspora

17. Belize has a 600 strong Indian business community, mainly Sindhis, who migrated from India to Belize since 1964. Together with dependents, the community is about 1200 individuals. There are two community organizations, viz., the Belize Indian Merchants Association (BIMA) based in the Corozal Free Trade Zone and the Belize Indian Community (BIC) based in Belize City. Both have their own temples which act as community centers for the larger cultural needs of the community.
 

18. There is also an “East Indian” community, about 12,000, that arrived in Belize in 1838 as indentured laborers (girmitiyas), and who are now totally assimilated with the local society, but have evinced interest to rediscover their lost Indian roots, through various Indian cultural programs and activities. ‘The Corozal Organization of East Indian Cultural Heritage’ & ‘The East Indian Council of Belize’ organized the ‘First Indian Diaspora Conference’ in Belize in August 2014 with support from the National Institute of Culture and History, Govt. of Belize. The event had huge participation including from other countries in the whole Caribbean region.
 

Visas and Consular Matters

19. The Honorary Consular of India in Belize City facilitates and provides assistance to the Indian community in obtaining consular services from the High Commission (Embassy of India) based in Mexico City. The Government of India has extended the facility of online e-Visa facility to the nationals of Belize. Belize has allowed visa free entry of Indian nationals holding valid US Visa or US Residence Permit for single visits for non-employment purposes. In 2017, Belize and India signed an Agreement on exemption from visa requirement for holders of diplomatic and official/service passports for a period of 90 days.

Multilateral

20. Belize has ratified the framework agreement on establishment of International Solar Alliance (ISA) and is a member of ISA since 2017.