Indian PM Modi Conferred T&T's Highest Honour During First Prime Ministerial Visit Since 1999
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded a two-day State Visit to the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago (T&T) on July 4, marking the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Caribbean nation in over two decades. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed this as the first such visit since 1999.
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| Image Source: PM NaMo on X |
Prime Minister Modi was received on arrival at the Port of Spain airport by Trinidad & Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, along with members of her Cabinet and other senior officials, in what the MEA described as “a special gesture emblematic of the close ties” between the two countries. He was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour and welcomed with traditional cultural performances.
India and Trinidad & Tobago rose from the shadows of colonial rule to write our destiny of progress. Our nations stand tall as proud democracies and pillars of strength in the modern world. pic.twitter.com/Pme4DhAU6I
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 4, 2025
On the same day, Modi addressed a large diaspora gathering in Port of Spain, attended by more than 4,000 people, including T&T Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar, members of her Cabinet, parliamentarians, and dignitaries.
During the event, Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar announced that the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago would confer its highest national award—The Order of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago—on Prime Minister Modi. According to MEA, this makes Modi the first foreign leader to receive the award.
There is a natural warmth between the people of India and Trinidad & Tobago, which is reflected across sectors. pic.twitter.com/2xNdSZReeC
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 4, 2025
The award was formally conferred on July 4 by President Christine Carla Kangaloo at a ceremony at the President’s House in Port of Spain. MEA stated that the award recognised Modi’s "statesmanship, leadership of the Global South, and his role in strengthening India–T&T relations.”
Accepting the award on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians, Modi said it was a symbol of the long-standing bonds between the two nations, rooted in shared history and cultural heritage.
Marking 180 years since the arrival of Indian indentured labourers in Trinidad, Modi described the occasion as a meaningful moment in bilateral relations. In his public address, he praised the Indian-origin community in T&T for preserving their cultural roots.
In a policy move aimed at deepening diaspora ties, he announced that OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) cards will now be issued to sixth-generation people of Indian origin in Trinidad & Tobago—an announcement welcomed with applause.
During bilateral talks at Red House with Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar, both leaders discussed cooperation in sectors including agriculture, pharmaceuticals, digital transformation (with particular focus on India's UPI system), education, culture, and sports.
The MEA reported that six Memoranda of Understanding were signed, covering areas such as culture, sports, diplomatic training, pharmacopoeia, academic collaboration, and quick impact development projects.
May the friendship between India-Trinidad & Tobago flourish in the times to come!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 4, 2025
Highlights from a special welcome in Port of Spain… pic.twitter.com/yUprg1LyB4
The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues including climate change, disaster resilience, and cybersecurity. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to countering terrorism in all forms. Prime Minister Modi thanked T&T for its solidarity following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, India.
On July 4, Prime Minister Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to address a Joint Sitting of the Trinidad & Tobago Parliament, upon the invitation of Senate President Wade Mark and House Speaker Jagdeo Singh.
In his address, Modi emphasised India’s democratic model and highlighted the progress in women's political participation, including India’s recent constitutional provision to reserve 33% of seats for women in Parliament and State Assemblies. He called for enhanced parliamentary exchanges and appreciated the symbolic Speaker’s Chair in the House, gifted by India.
During a separate meeting with President Kangaloo, Modi thanked her for the national award and congratulated her on receiving the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award earlier this year.
Both leaders reaffirmed the importance of people-to-people ties and discussed ways to strengthen cooperation within the India–CARICOM framework. Modi extended an invitation to both the President and Prime Minister of T&T to visit India.
According to the MEA, the visit was not only historic in its timing but also in its outcomes, with a clear focus on celebrating shared heritage, deepening development cooperation, and enhancing India's engagement with the Caribbean and the wider Global South.