Indian prime minister to visit twin-island republic

PORT OF SPAIN (CMC)

India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, arrives here on Wednesday for a two-day official visit further highlighting the ties between the two countries “founded on deep-rooted cultural and familial ties.

“There is a great significance of the forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Trinidad and Tobago,” said the Indian High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago, Dr Pradeep Rajpurohit.

“There are warm and historic ties between India and Trinidad and Tobago, which are founded on deep-rooted cultural and familial ties. There are a lot of similarities in the way of life of the people of the two countries. The visit of the prime minister of India is likely to give a fresh impetus to this relationship. There seems to be a great excitement among the people here for this visit,” he told Newsday newspaper.

Modi’s visit here is the second leg part of a five-nation trip that includes Ghana, Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia.

He had been invited to Trinidad and Tobago by Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar, soon after leading her United National Congress (UNC)-led coalition to an overwhelming victory in the April 28 general election.

During his visit here, he will pay a courtesy call on President Christine Kangaloo and meet with Prime Minister Persad Bissessar as well as interact with the large Indian diaspora.

Rajpurohit said that Modi, who would be paying his second visit to the Caribbean in less than a year after having visited Guyana last November 2024 for the second India-CARICOM Summit, said he hopes the visit will also help promote bilateral trade and overall economic engagement between the two countries.

“I feel that there is immense potential to encourage the current level of bilateral trade, which is about US$341 million in financial year 2024-25,” he said, noting also that India has been at the forefront in building capacities of the youth of friendly countries, especially in the Global South,” he said.