Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Trinidad and Tobago early on Friday morning as part of the second leg of his five-country tour. This is his first official visit to the Caribbean country as Prime Minister and also the first such bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister since 1999. During this historic two-day tour, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also conferred with ‘The Order of Trinidad and Tobago’, the highest civilian honour of the Caribbean nation.

While addressing a gathering of the Indian community in the presence of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who is the first woman to serve as Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Modi spoke about the need to strengthen ties in trade, security and technology between the two countries.

Trinidad and Tobago is the second country on Modi’s tour. The Indian diaspora there dates back to 1845 when indentured labourers first arrived, and the community continues to maintain strong ties with India. It is home to the largest population of Indian-origin people in the Caribbean.

Earlier, PM Modi received a warm welcome at Piarco International Airport in Port of Spain, where he was given a ceremonial reception and a Guard of Honour.

The visit is taking place from July 3 to 4, following an invitation from Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. She received Modi at the airport wearing traditional Indian attire and was joined by her full cabinet of 38 ministers along with four Members of Parliament.

PM Modi also expressed happiness after watching a traditional Bhojpuri Chautal performance in Port of Spain. He described it as “a priceless cultural connection” and spoke about the deep cultural bonds between the two nations, especially with eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Speaking to the Indian community, PM Modi shared that Kamla Persad-Bissessar's family came from Buxar in Bihar and that she had visited the place. "People take her as the daughter of Bihar," he said, adding that the cultural richness of Bihar is something both India and the world take pride in.

He added that Bihar has played an important role across many fields for centuries and that it will continue to create new opportunities in the 21st century.

PM Modi also took time to greet members of the Indian community who had gathered at the airport to welcome him.

During his visit, PM Modi will hold bilateral meetings with President Christine Carla Kangaloo and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. These discussions will focus on boosting cooperation in areas such as trade, energy, technology and people-to-people exchanges. He will also address a Joint Sitting of the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago to highlight the strong friendship between the two countries.

Before leaving Ghana, which was the first stop on his tour, PM Modi said he was "looking forward to deepening ties with a valued partner in the Caribbean, with whom we share very old cultural linkages."

After the Trinidad and Tobago leg of his tour, Modi will travel to Argentina from July 4 to 5, then head to Brazil for the 17th BRICS Summit and a state visit. His final stop will be in Namibia.

On Friday, PM Modi announced that Overseas Citizenship of India or OCI cards will now be issued to the sixth generation of the Indian diaspora in Trinidad and Tobago, where over 40 per cent of the population has Indian roots.

Modi praised the long-standing relationship between the diaspora and their ancestral homeland and appreciated their achievements in Trinidad and Tobago. "Today, I am pleased to declare that OCI cards will now be extended to the sixth generation of the Indian diaspora in Trinidad and Tobago."

"You're not bound by blood or by name. You're bound by belonging. India looks towards you, India welcomes you, and India opens its arms to you," he said, mixing English and Hindi during his speech.

He said that the descendants of indentured workers or “girmitiyas” are now known not for their hardships but for their success. He mentioned names like Persad-Bissessar, President Christine Carla Kangaloo, singer Sundar Popo and cricketer Daren Ganga.

Modi said that the Indian diaspora around the world now includes 35 million people and that each one is a representative of India’s culture, values and traditions. India is currently building a complete database of the Girmitiya community to document the villages and cities their ancestors came from and the places they settled in. "This will enhance the strong and historical bonding with our brothers and sisters in Trinidad and Tobago as well," he said.

In her speech, Persad-Bissessar spoke about the strong ties between the two countries and thanked India for sending vaccines to Trinidad and Tobago during the COVID pandemic. She announced that PM Modi will be awarded the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, which is the country’s highest honour, on Saturday. 

The Order of Trinidad and Tobago was created in 2008 and replaced the Trinity Cross as the national award for exceptional service to the country.

Modi, who was welcomed by Persad-Bissessar and most of her cabinet, also said that India is on its way to becoming one of the top three economies in the world. He mentioned that sectors like artificial intelligence, semiconductors and quantum computing are becoming new growth engines for India.

He called for deeper cooperation in trade, defence and technology. "Our Mission Manufacturing is taking efforts to make India a manufacturing hub. We have become the second-largest mobile manufacturer in the world," he said. "Our defence exports are up 20 times just in the last decade. We are not only making in India, we are making for the world. As we expand, we are making sure that it is of benefit to the world as well."

Modi also spoke about India’s digital payment system, known as the Unified Payments Interface or UPI. He said it has transformed the way people make digital payments. "Almost 50% of the world's real-time digital transactions occur in India. I congratulate Trinidad and Tobago on being the first country in the region to implement UPI," he said.

"Sending money will now be as simple as sending a 'good morning' text message. And I assure you, it will be quicker than West Indies bowling."