This week’s visit by India’s Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, underscores India’s growing recognition of Trinidad and Tobago as a key regional partner and is expected to deliver numerous benefits to its citizens.
Prime Minister Modi’s visit, from July 3rd to 4th, marks the first by an Indian Prime Minister in over two decades.
Speaking on the NOW Morning Show on Wednesday, Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, Sean Sobers, noted that the visit has already yielded “concretised initiatives and deliverables” that will directly benefit the citizenry.
“We’ve had specific deliverables with respect to the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries with the donation of a significant portion of rice and oil. There is also the agri-processing plant that was also announced that India is donating to Trinidad and Tobago.”
In addition to the agro-processing plant valued at over US$1 million, the health sector will also receive support from India.
“A lot of the goods, the medicine, actually, that we utilise within Trinidad and Tobago also comes from India. And there’s going to be a significant positive shift in terms of those types of medication that we would be purchasing from India, which would go a very, very, very long way for a lot of people within this country.”
Minister Sobers added that India also benefits from a synergistic relationship with Trinidad and Tobago.
“We have a growing relationship with them as it pertains to some cultural exchanges. They benefit from a lot of that with respect to some exchange from persons of the diaspora going back to India and whatnot. We also purchase a lot of goods from India that are sold on our shelves here and in our varying supermarkets throughout Trinidad and Tobago.”
During his two-day visit, Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to participate in a Community Diaspora event, deliver an address to a Joint Session of Parliament, oversee the signing of Memoranda of Understanding with the government, and take part in a ceremonial tree planting.