Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met Trinidad & Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar in Port of Spain, where the two leaders held wide-ranging talks aimed at boosting cooperation in areas from agriculture and healthcare to digital payments and cultural exchanges.
he meeting took place at the historic Red House, where PM Modi congratulated his counterpart on assuming office for the second time following her recent electoral victory and thanked her for the warm welcome accorded to him and his delegation.
The two leaders discussed a wide range of areas for potential cooperation, including agriculture, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, digital transformation, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), capacity building, culture, sports, and people-to-people ties. Development cooperation remains a vital aspect of the India–Trinidad & Tobago partnership, both sides noted. Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar remarked that Prime Minister Modi’s visit would reinvigorate the long-standing relationship between the two nations.
Regional and global issues also featured in the talks, with both leaders calling for enhanced cooperation on shared challenges such as climate change, disaster management, and cybersecurity. PM Modi appreciated Trinidad & Tobago’s strong support for India following the recent Pahalgam terror attack, and the leaders reaffirmed their joint commitment to combat terrorism in all its forms. They also agreed to work together to promote greater solidarity among countries of the Global South and to strengthen the India–CARICOM partnership.
Following the discussions, both countries exchanged six Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) covering pharmacopoeia cooperation, Quick Impact Projects, cultural exchanges, sports, diplomatic training, and the establishment of ICCR Chairs for Hindi and Indian Studies in Trinidad & Tobago.
In a move to further deepen ties with the Indian diaspora, India also announced the extension of Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card eligibility to the sixth generation of people of Indian origin living in Trinidad & Tobago.
PM Modi extended an invitation to Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar to visit India, which she accepted.
