Despite strong cultural ties between India and Trinidad and Tobago, Indian High Commissioner Dr Pradeep Singh Rajpurohit believes there is a need to intensify economic and commercial engagement between both countries.
He made the call during his farewell address on Sunday evening as he prepares to take up a new diplomatic posting as India’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Dr Rajpurohit said three years ago, before assuming office as India’s High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago, his knowledge of the country was largely limited to cricket and Brian Lara.
“You would be surprised what I knew about Trinidad and Tobago. I knew about the Queen’s Park Oval and the cricket and the fast pitch here.”
Now, as he prepares to demit office, he said both countries have deepened cooperation in several key areas, including education, healthcare, technology, culture and development.
“I am glad that the bilateral relations between India and Trinidad and Tobago have scaled new heights during this period.”
While reflecting on what he described as a period of unprecedented growth in relations between the two countries, Dr Rajpurohit said there remains significant room for improvement in trade and commerce.
“That while there is a strong foundation of cultural and people-to-people ties between India and Trinidad and Tobago, however, there is a need to intensify our economic and commercial engagement. The bilateral trade volume is still at a modest status and has an immense potential to grow.”
Minister of Public Utilities and Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Barry Padarath credited the outgoing High Commissioner with delivering tangible results and strengthening cooperation between both nations.
“I can safely say that wishlist has been completed, but you have surpassed what you expected would have been done in one year by leaps and bounds. But I will take it one step further to say that His Excellency, Dr Rajpurohit, will always be remembered as one of those diplomatic representatives that contributed significantly to the development of Trinidad and Tobago.”
Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Minister Sean Sobers also highlighted several initiatives facilitated through the High Commission, including India’s support for the National Prosthetic Centre in Penal.
“You may well be aware to know now that that particular programme has now been evolved, it has been transformed to facilitate prosthetic limbs to the rest of the CARICOM region for those within CARICOM that also require prosthetic limbs, and we thank you and the Government of India for that.”
Dr Rajpurohit himself acknowledged that the visits by India’s two most senior foreign policy figures were among the defining achievements of his time in Trinidad and Tobago.
“Everything has been said about my tenure and various things, but I feel fortunate to coordinate the landmark visit of Honourable Prime Minister of India, Sri Narendra Modi Ji, to this country last year, and subsequently the highly successful visit of Dr S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister of India, to this country.”
Dr Rajpurohit is expected to take up his new diplomatic posting soon, having been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Bahrain.