Prime Minister Narendra Modi Begins First Trinidad Visit As Indian Prime Minister Since 1999

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday to a ceremonial welcome at Piarco International Airport, where he was received by his counterpart, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who greeted him wearing traditional Indian attire.

Upon arrival, Prime Minister Modi received a Guard of Honour.

Present at the airport were 38 Cabinet Ministers and four Members of Parliament from Trinidad and Tobago.

Taking to X, PM Modi posted, “Landed in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago. I thank Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, distinguished members of the Cabinet and MPs for the gesture of welcoming me at the airport. This visit will further cement bilateral ties between our nations. Looking forward to addressing a community programme in a few hours from now.”

The Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, highlighted the warm reception on the social media platform.

“PM @narendramodi has arrived in the capital city of Port of Spain in Trinidad & Tobago, to a warm ceremonial welcome & Guard of Honour. In a special gesture, PM was received by PM @MPKamla and members of her Cabinet & several other dignitaries @mfcagovtt at the airport,” he posted on X. 

Echoing the sentiment, the Prime Minister’s Office posted, “PM @narendramodi arrived in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago. In a special gesture, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, along with distinguished Cabinet members and MPs, received him at the airport.”

Diaspora welcomes PM Modi; second stop in five-nation tour

Members of the Indian diaspora warmly greeted him at the airport.

This stop marks the second leg of Prime Minister Modi’s five-nation tour, following his visit to Ghana.

During his stay, PM Modi will likely hold discussions with top leadership, including President Christine Carla Kangaloo and Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar, aimed at strengthening bilateral ties.

This is the first Indian Prime Ministerial visit to Trinidad and Tobago since 1999, and PM Modi’s inaugural trip to the Caribbean nation in his current role.

Prior to arriving, PM Modi addressed Ghana’s Parliament and awarded the ‘Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana’, dedicating the honour to the strong bonds between India and Ghana.

Before departing Ghana, Prime Minister Modi posted on X, “Leaving for Trinidad & Tobago. Later this evening, I look forward to attending a community programme in Port of Spain. Tomorrow, will be addressing the Parliament of Trinidad & Tobago. Looking forward to deepening ties with a valued partner in the Caribbean, with whom we share very old cultural linkages.”

Following Trinidad and Tobago, the Prime Minister will continue his tour with visits to Argentina, Brazil and Namibia.

Strengthening India-Caribbean relations

On Friday, PM Modi will address a Joint Session of Trinidad and Tobago’s Parliament — a historic moment reflecting the growing India-Caribbean relationship.

President Kangaloo was the Chief Guest at this year’s Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, while Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar — now in her second term — has visited India previously and is a recipient of the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman.

This year also marks 180 years since the first Indian migrants arrived in Trinidad and Tobago, making the visit particularly significant in celebrating shared heritage and cultural ties.

Notably, this is Prime Minister Modi’s second visit to the Caribbean in less than a year — following his trip to Guyana in November 2024 — underscoring India’s commitment to its partnership with CARICOM nations.

During the second India-CARICOM Summit in Georgetown last year, PM Modi reaffirmed India’s role as a strong voice for the Global South, highlighting its role in supporting regional partners through initiatives like digital transformation.

On the sidelines of that summit, he met then Prime Minister Keith Rowley and lauded the adoption of India’s UPI platform in Trinidad and Tobago, pledging further collaboration in digital infrastructure.

India and Trinidad and Tobago are also working to deepen cooperation in pharmaceuticals, tertiary healthcare, renewable energy, agriculture, sports, innovation, and education.

Cultural and emotional ties with the Indian diaspora

Ahead of the tour, MEA Secretary (South) Neena Malhotra noted, “The visit comes at an opportune time, as this year, 2025, the country (Trinidad and Tobago) is commemorating 180 years of the arrival of Indian immigrants in Trinidad and Tobago.”

Of Trinidad and Tobago’s 1.36 million people, nearly 40–45 per cent are of Indian descent — a community that maintains deep-rooted cultural and emotional ties with India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s planned address to the Parliament will likely reaffirm India’s democratic values and enduring friendship with the Caribbean.

“The Speaker’s chair in the Parliament has been a gift by India, which is again a symbolic reminder of the strong democratic and parliamentary traditions between our two countries,” asserted Secretary Malhotra.

She also underscored the personal significance of the visit, as both the President and the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago are of Indian heritage and proudly refer to themselves as ‘daughters of India’.

“The MEA Secretary further remarked, “The entire Indian community in Trinidad and Tobago is very enthusiastic about PM Modi’s upcoming visit and a large diaspora interaction event is being planned during the visit. During the visit, the PM will hold high-level discussions with both the President and Prime Minister, and the leaders will likely cover the entire gamut of our bilateral relations, as well as regional and multilateral aspects.”

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