Trinidad and Tobago, home to a large Indian-origin population—many of whom are now in their fifth and sixth generations—offered a unique cultural resonance to the visit….reports Asian Lite News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a historic two-day visit to Trinidad and Tobago, reaffirming India’s commitment to deeper collaboration with the Caribbean nation and celebrating the enduring ties between the two countries.
Ahead of the visit, Indian High Commissioner Pradeep Singh Rajpurohit had noted the “intense desire” among both the people and the government of Trinidad and Tobago for stronger engagement with India. That sentiment was visibly reflected in the warm reception accorded to PM Modi and the enthusiastic participation of the Indian diaspora during his engagements.
“There was a lot of excitement and anticipation. This visit marked a milestone moment for our bilateral ties,” High Commissioner Rajpurohit said.
During his address to the Indian community in Port of Spain, Prime Minister Modi praised Bihar’s rich cultural heritage and referred to Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar as a “daughter of Bihar,” acknowledging her ancestral roots in the Indian state.
Trinidad and Tobago, home to a large Indian-origin population—many of whom are now in their fifth and sixth generations—offered a unique cultural resonance to the visit. PM Modi commended the diaspora for preserving Indian traditions over the past 180 years and underscored their role in strengthening India’s global connections.
The visit also laid emphasis on enhancing cooperation in key sectors such as agriculture, information technology, health, pharmaceuticals, and renewable energy—areas that were initially discussed during PM Modi’s earlier visit to Guyana for the Second India-CARICOM Summit.
“This visit built on the momentum created in Guyana. We now expect tangible outcomes in these priority sectors,” the High Commissioner noted.
Trinidad and Tobago’s recently elected government, which includes several ministers of Indian origin, expressed keen interest in leveraging India’s growth model. The island nation has also taken a major step toward digital transformation by becoming the first CARICOM country to adopt India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platform.
PM Modi’s visit from July 3 to July 4 marked the first bilateral Prime Ministerial-level visit to Trinidad and Tobago since 1999. It was part of his broader five-nation tour spanning July 2–9 and is being seen as a landmark in India-Caribbean diplomacy.
