Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards will now be granted to the sixth generation of the Indian diaspora in Trinidad and Tobago. This declaration came as Modi began his visit to the Caribbean nation, where over 40% of the population is of Indian origin, making it the largest concentration of Indian-origin people in the Caribbean. Modi is the first Indian premier to visit the island nation since 2009.
Addressing the Indian community alongside Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the first woman premier of Trinidad and Tobago, Modi emphasized deepening economic, security, and technology cooperation between the two nations. He highlighted the strong historical ties, noting that the diaspora are descendants of indentured laborers who began arriving in 1845.
Modi lauded the community’s achievements in Trinidad and Tobago, pointing to the successes of leaders like Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar and President Christine Carla Kangaloo, as well as cultural figures like musician Sundar Popo and cricketer Daren Ganga. He stressed that the descendants of these “girmitiyas,” or indentured workers, are now defined by their success, not their struggles.
He stated that the global Indian diaspora, now numbering 35 million, serves as ambassadors of India’s values and heritage. India is actively building a comprehensive database of the Girmitiya community, documenting their ancestral villages and settlement locations to further strengthen these historical bonds.
Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar acknowledged the enduring ties and thanked India for its COVID-19 vaccine assistance. She also announced that Modi would be conferred with the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the country’s highest honor.
Modi, who received a warm reception from Persad-Bissessar and much of her cabinet upon arrival, also spoke of India’s economic ascent, projecting it to become one of the world’s top three economies soon. He highlighted India’s advancements in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and quantum computing as new drivers of growth. He urged enhanced trade, security, and technology collaboration, showcasing India’s “Mission Manufacturing” which has made it the world’s second-largest mobile manufacturer and significantly boosted defense exports.
Furthermore, Modi showcased India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI), noting that nearly 50% of the world’s real-time digital transactions occur in India. He congratulated Trinidad and Tobago for becoming the first country in the region to adopt UPI, emphasizing its potential to simplify money transfers.
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