EAM Jaishankar, Trinidad and Tobago PM Explore New Ideas to Expand Bilateral Cooperation

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held extensive discussions with Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to explore new initiatives aimed at deepening bilateral cooperation between India and the Caribbean nation. The talks took place in Port of Spain during the final leg of Jaishankar’s three-nation Caribbean tour, which also included visits to Jamaica and Suriname.

According to Jaishankar, the discussions involved a comprehensive review of India–Trinidad and Tobago relations and focused on implementing commitments made during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Caribbean region last year. Both sides also explored new ideas and collaborative initiatives across multiple sectors.

During the visit, India and Trinidad and Tobago concluded several agreements covering tourism cooperation, solarisation of the Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs building, Quick Impact Projects, and the establishment of an Ayurveda Chair. These agreements are expected to strengthen cooperation in renewable energy, cultural exchange, development assistance, and traditional medicine.

Jaishankar also joined Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar at an event distributing Made-in-India laptops to schoolchildren in Trinidad and Tobago. The initiative was described as part of India’s broader commitment toward educational cooperation and digital empowerment in the Caribbean region.

India’s engagement with Trinidad and Tobago carries strong historical and cultural significance because of the large Indian-origin Girmitiya community in the Caribbean nation. The term “Girmitiya” refers to Indian indentured labourers who migrated to British colonies during the nineteenth century, many of whose descendants continue to maintain deep cultural and emotional ties with India.

The visit is also part of India’s broader strategic outreach to the Global South and the Caribbean region, where New Delhi has been steadily expanding cooperation in healthcare, education, renewable energy, digital public infrastructure, agriculture, disaster management, capacity building, and development partnerships.

Officials said the discussions also reviewed opportunities for stronger collaboration through CARICOM, the Caribbean Community regional grouping, as India seeks deeper economic and diplomatic engagement with Caribbean nations amid growing geopolitical competition and expanding South-South cooperation frameworks.