Indian community in Trinidad &Tobago enthusiastic about PM Modi's upcoming visit: MEA Secy

New Delhi [India], June 30 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Trinidad and Tobago on a two-day visit from July 3 as part of his multi-country eight-day-long tour that begins this Wednesday and will include visits to Ghana, Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia.

Addressing a special media briefing in the national capital on Monday, Secretary (South) in the Ministry of External Affairs Neena Malhotra, said that the entire indian community in the Carribbean country was "very enthusiastic" about PM Modi's upcoming visit.

"PM Modi will be undertaking an official visit to Trinidad and Tobago from July 3-4 at the invitation of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. This marks the first visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to T&T, or Trinidad and Tobago, as Prime Minister, and is the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to T&T since 1999," Malhotra said.

During his visit, Prime Minister Modi will hold talks with the President of Trinidad and Tobago, Christine Carla Kangaloo, and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to further strengthen bilateral ties.

The Prime Minister will also address a Joint Session of the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago.

MEA Secretary, Neena Malhotra, highlighted the significance of the visit, stating, "The visit comes at an opportune time, as this year, in 2025, the country is commemorating 180 years of the arrival of Indian immigrants to Trinidad and Tobago."

On May 30, 1845, the first ship 'Fatel Razack' carrying 225 Indian indentured workers reached the shores of Trinidad, then a British colony. Their numbers increased with subsequent arrival of more ships from India till 1917. The descendants of those indentured workers, now in their fifth or sixth generation, form nearly 40 per cent to 45 per cent of the total population of 1.36 million of the country. The presence of a substantial population of Indian-origin (the largest ethnic group) has contributed immensely to close bilateral relations between the two countries.

India established bilateral relations with Trinidad and Tobago on August 31, 1962.

In today's special briefing, MEA Secretary Malhotra also noted the shared Indian heritage between the two countries, mentioning that both the Trinidad and Tobago PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar and President Christine Carla Kangaloo are of Indian origin, women, and lawyers, who take pride in their Indian roots and describe themselves as "daughters of India."

She said, "I'm told that currently both the President and Prime Minister are of Indian origin, incidentally, both are women, both are lawyers, and both have a deep sense of pride in their Indian roots and heritage, and describe themselves as daughters of India..."

"The entire Indian community in Trinidad and Tobago is very enthusiastic about the upcoming visit of PM Modi, and a large diaspora interaction event is being planned during the visit," the MEA Secretary said.

During his visit, PM Modi will hold high-level discussions with both the President and the Prime Minister, and the leaders are expected to cover the entire gamut of our bilateral relations, as well as regional and multilateral aspects.

The Trinidad and Tobago PM will also host a dinner for PM Modi.

"India's development partnership with Trinidad and Tobago is robust and diverse. It includes capacity-building initiatives, grant-based projects, and health care initiatives," the MEA Secretary said.

"Both sides are now seeking to expand and diversify our cooperation into emerging areas, such as pharmaceuticals, tertiary care, renewable energy, digital public infrastructure, agriculture, and disaster resilience, in addition to innovation and technology," she said.

India and Trinidad and Tobago will also continue to focus on "sports, academic, and cultural cooperation. A set of bilateral documents in different areas of cooperation is expected to be signed," said Malhotra

"In a special gesture, PM Modi will also address the joint session of the Parliament of Tindad and Tobago. The visit is expected to strengthen the bilateral partnership across key areas," the MEA official said.

Trinidad and Tobago President Christine Carla Kangaloo had attended through video conferencing the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas (PBD) in Bhubaneswar as the Chief Guest, and delivered an address on the occasion. She was conferred with Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) at the National Day Reception organized by the High Commission of India in Trinidad and Tobago Mission on January 26 this year.

During her address at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, Kangaloo emphasised the deep-rooted ties between India and Trinidad and Tobago and highlighted that India was among the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Trinidad and Tobago after its independence in 1962.

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