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Modi's First Official Visit to Trinidad and Tobago

On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi commenced his inaugural official trip to Trinidad and Tobago, marked by a ceremonial Guard of Honour at Piarco International Airport. He was warmly welcomed by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, accompanied by 38 ministers and four Members of Parliament from the Caribbean nation.

This visit is significant as it marks PM Modi's first trip to Trinidad and Tobago as Prime Minister and the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Caribbean since 1999. The trip is at the invitation of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and will span two days, from July 3 to 4, during which Modi is set to engage in discussions with President Christine Carla Kangaloo and Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar to enhance bilateral relations.

The High Commission in Port of Spain expressed their enthusiasm on social media, stating, 'Welcome to Trinidad & Tobago, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji!!' Prior to the visit, India's High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago, Pradeep Singh Rajpurohit, noted a strong desire among both the populace and the government for increased cooperation with India.

Rajpurohit remarked, 'There is considerable excitement among the people... Everyone is eager for this visit... Trinidad and Tobago is keen on fostering a longstanding partnership with India across various sectors.' He emphasized the deep cultural connections between the two nations, highlighting that nearly half of Trinidad and Tobago's population is of Indian descent, many of whom have been in the country for 180 years.

He further noted, 'The Indian diaspora here is very engaged with developments in India and actively works to maintain their heritage.' Discussions during PM Modi's visit are expected to build on the groundwork laid during his previous visit to Guyana for the Second India-CARICOM Summit, where various sectors such as agriculture, IT, health, and renewable energy were discussed.

Rajpurohit also pointed out the significance of this visit in light of Trinidad and Tobago's newly formed government, which includes several ministers of Indian origin. He stated, 'This government is enthusiastic about leveraging India's growth journey.' Trinidad and Tobago is the first country in the Caribbean to adopt India's UPI platform, which is currently being implemented.

PM Modi's trip to Trinidad and Tobago is part of a larger five-nation tour scheduled from July 2 to July 9, aimed at strengthening bilateral ties, particularly in digital finance, renewable energy, health, and IT.