India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, says direct flights between India and Trinidad and Tobago are needed, but global aircraft shortages are delaying new routes.
He also promised a more active Indian presence in the Caribbean and Latin America, while stressing that India intends to remain accountable for promises made to the region.
“If anybody wants to see a direct flight, it’s me. You know how hard it was to get flights coming in here.”
Calls for direct air links between India and Trinidad and Tobago featured prominently during a reception at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Cultural Cooperation on Saturday.
India’s Minister of External Affairs, Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, acknowledged the growing demand but noted that the delay is not diplomatic, but logistical.
“Some of it is the particular airlines need to grow. There’s actually, at least where India is concerned, two main airlines have ordered more than a thousand aircraft. Problem is there’s a shortage in the manufacture of aircraft. So there’s a long waiting period.”
Despite the challenges, he expressed optimism that direct routes to the Caribbean will eventually materialise.
“The desire in India to see the world that there would be a case for flights coming into the Caribbean. It is, in terms of distance, quite possible people fly much longer flights than that. So I’m also hopeful that would happen. I do recognise it’s a problem today and can sometimes be an inconvenience. So let’s hope that those planes are delivered as quickly as we hope they will be.”
Addressing questions about India’s increased presence in the region, Dr. Jaishankar said the expansion reflects India’s growing global footprint.
“It’s something which has been building for some time. I would say had it not been for COVID, it would have happened perhaps a few years earlier. And part of it is India’s greater capabilities, India’s greater reach. As I said, we do about $40 billion of business every year in Latin America and the Caribbean. If you look at this whole region, you will see more Indian businesses.”
The Minister also revealed that discussions with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Cabinet focused on practical ways to deepen cooperation, including India’s willingness to provide financial support.
“The first significant point of our discussion was the sense that, you know, we could, using soft loans from India, look at the possibility of infrastructure projects, development projects, some big, some perhaps less so, which would really contribute to livelihoods, contribute to ease of living in this country, contribute to the quality of life.”
Dr. Jaishankar assured that India will continue working closely with T&T on development initiatives, digital cooperation, and cultural exchange, as relations between the two countries continue to deepen.