India, Trinidad & Tobago To Deepen Bilateral Relations In Health, ICT, Agriculture & Education

New Delhi, July 5 (KNN) Prime Minister Modi concluded an official visit to Trinidad and Tobago from July 3 to 4, at the invitation of Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Prime Minister, Trinidad and Tobago. 

The visit marked the first bilateral trip by an Indian Prime Minister to the Caribbean nation in 26 years.

The two Prime Ministers held wide-ranging discussions on bilateral, regional, and global issues, reaffirming their shared commitment to a forward-looking partnership based on democratic values, cultural affinity, and mutual respect. 

Areas of focus included health, ICT, agriculture, education, trade, skill development, and digital governance.

In the digital domain, both leaders welcomed Trinidad and Tobago’s adoption of India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI), the first such initiative in the Caribbean. 

They agreed to explore further collaboration through the India Stack ecosystem, including platforms such as DigiLocker and e-Sign. 

India will assist in upgrading Trinidad and Tobago’s state land registration systems and support broader digital transformation efforts.

Prime Minister Modi announced a gift of 2,000 laptops to support digitisation in education and encouraged students to pursue higher studies in India under existing scholarship programmes. 

On the health front, India will organise a prosthetic limb fitment camp for 800 individuals and has donated haemodialysis units and sea ambulances to support public healthcare. 

Both countries welcomed closer cooperation in pharmaceuticals following Trinidad and Tobago’s recognition of Indian Pharmacopoeia standards.

In the agricultural sector, Prime Minister Modi handed over agro-machinery worth USD 1 million to support Trinidad and Tobago’s food security initiatives. 

India also offered technical assistance in areas such as natural farming, millet cultivation, and seaweed-based fertilisation.

A series of MoUs and agreements were signed across sectors including culture, academia, sports, development cooperation, and diplomatic training. 

These include renewed commitments under the Programme of Cultural Exchanges, the establishment of Quick Impact Projects, and a new MoU on sports cooperation, which will include capacity-building and training opportunities—particularly for women cricketers.

India announced the expansion of the Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) eligibility to the sixth generation of the Indian diaspora in Trinidad and Tobago. 

(KNN Bureau)