India Strengthens Ties with Trinidad and Tobago: Eight New Agreements Signed

Strengthening Bilateral Relations

Port of Spain: During a recent two-day visit to Trinidad and Tobago, India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar finalized eight agreements covering various sectors such as tourism, healthcare, infrastructure, and Ayurveda, as reported by official sources.

Jaishankar's visit on May 8-9 included discussions with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and other key officials to enhance bilateral cooperation and assess the progress of initiatives announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the Caribbean last year, according to a statement from India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

The signed agreements encompass areas like tourism, the solarization of the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs building, vector control, the upgrade of Nelson Island's infrastructure—where Indian immigrants first settled—and the establishment of an Indian Chair on Ayurveda at the University of the West Indies.

In a significant gesture, Jaishankar presented the first batch of 2,000 laptops to selected schoolchildren and inaugurated an agro-processing facility, which received machinery worth USD 1 million from India last year.

Together with Persad-Bissessar, Jaishankar also inaugurated Trinidad and Tobago's National Prosthetics Centre located in Penal.

The discussions further explored collaboration in infrastructure, security, forensics, healthcare, and capacity building.

Both nations reiterated their commitment to working together in regional and multilateral forums, particularly on issues affecting the Global South.

The MEA highlighted that this visit has provided a "fresh impetus" to the relationship between India and Trinidad and Tobago.

Jaishankar wrapped up his visit on Saturday, marking the end of his three-nation tour that included Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, aimed at enhancing India's engagement with Caribbean countries.