PM Modi’s Historic Visit to Trinidad & Tobago Marks New Era in Bilateral Ties

GG News Bureau
Port of Spain/New Delhi, 5th July: In a landmark diplomatic engagement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded a two-day official visit to Trinidad and Tobago—the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister in 26 years—coinciding with the 180th anniversary of the arrival of Indian immigrants to the Caribbean nation.

Hosted by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the visit marked a significant leap in bilateral ties spanning diplomacy, trade, culture, digital governance, and diaspora engagement. In recognition of his global statesmanship and efforts to strengthen Indo-Caribbean relations, PM Modi was conferred the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the country’s highest national honour.

Strengthening Strategic and Cultural Ties

The two Prime Ministers held wide-ranging discussions and signed several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) across key sectors including health, education, agriculture, digital innovation, culture, sports, and justice.

Prime Minister Modi commended Trinidad and Tobago for becoming the first Caribbean country to adopt India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and announced further digital collaborations, including the implementation of DigiLocker, e-Sign, and GeM.

Modi also gifted 2,000 laptops to support Trinidad and Tobago’s digital education drive and offered scholarships for higher studies in India. In the healthcare sector, India pledged 20 haemodialysis units, two sea ambulances, and a prosthetic limb camp for 800 beneficiaries.

Agreements and Development Support

Key outcomes included:

• Delivery of agro-machinery worth USD 1 million to NAMDEVCO for food security.
• Agreement to cooperate in millet cultivation, seaweed-based fertilizers, and natural farming.
• Support for digitization of land records in Trinidad and Tobago.
• MoUs for academic chairs in Hindi and Indian Studies at the University of the West Indies.

India also agreed to support forensic science capacity-building, judicial training, and the revival of the India-Trinidad and Tobago Parliamentary Friendship Group.

Honouring the Diaspora

Reaffirming India’s deep-rooted cultural ties, PM Modi announced the issuance of Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards up to the sixth generation of the Indian diaspora. He also invited Pundits from Trinidad and Tobago to train in India and participate in the Geeta Mahotsav, with plans for a joint celebration in both countries.

A renewed cultural exchange programme (2025–28) was signed, with special emphasis on Yoga, Hindi, and percussion arts like Steel Pan. The Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Cultural Cooperation will play a central role in these efforts.

Climate and Global Cooperation

On global cooperation, both leaders agreed to:

• Collaborate on disaster resilience via India’s early warning systems.
• Work together under the Global Biofuel Alliance and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
• Promote PM Modi’s ‘Mission LiFE’ initiative focused on sustainable living.

Trinidad and Tobago endorsed India’s candidature for a permanent seat at the UN Security Council, while India pledged support for Trinidad and Tobago’s non-permanent bid for 2027–28.

Legacy and Vision

Marking the emotional and historic significance of Indian arrival in Trinidad, both leaders called for the digitization of immigration records and development of Nelson Island as a site for cultural tourism.

In closing, PM Modi extended an invitation to Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar to visit India. The visit has not only reignited a legacy but charted a visionary roadmap for a resilient, inclusive, and future-ready Indo-Trinidadian partnership.