Latest news with #PortOfSpain
Times of Oman
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Times of Oman
PM Modi conferred with Trinidad and Tobago's highest honour
Port of Spain : Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with 'The Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago' (ORTT) on Friday, the highest honour of the nation, during a ceremonial event at the President's House in Port of Spain. President of Trinidad and Tobago, Christine Kangaloo, presented PM Modi with the award as he becomes the first foreign leader to be honoured with the award. This is the 25th international honour bestowed upon PM Modi by any country. PM Modi stated he accepted the award on behalf of the 140 crore Indians. "I accept it on behalf of 140 crore Indians," he stated in a post on X. PM Modi began his first official visit to Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday (local time) with a ceremonial Guard of Honour at Piarco International Airport, where he was received by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar along with 38 ministers and four Members of Parliament of the Caribbean nation. PM Modi has shared highlights from the special welcome in Port of Spain on the social media platform X. The video shows PM Modi being welcomed by his Trinidad and Tobago counterpart, Kamla Persad-Bissessar. The people of Trinidad and Tobago greeted PM Modi with enthusiasm, dancing to the beat of drums and showcasing traditional music and performances that reflected a blend of local and Indian culture. PM Modi also interacted with members of the Indian diaspora who had gathered at Piarco International Airport to welcome him. While sharing the video on X, PM Modi wrote, "May the friendship between India-Trinidad & Tobago flourish in the times to come! Highlights from a special welcome in Port of Spain." PM Modi's visit to Trinidad and Tobago is part of a broader five-nation tour taking place from July 2 to July 9. His stop in Trinidad and Tobago, which is the second leg of his tour, is expected to boost bilateral relations, with a focus on areas such as digital finance, renewable energy, health, and information technology. Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with the national honour of Ghana, Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana, by its President, John Dramani Mahama, in recognition of his "distinguished" statesmanship and influential global leadership, the Ministry of External Affairs said in an official statement. The Prime Minister's visit to Trinidad and Tobago will be his first visit to the country as Prime Minister and the first bilateral visit at the Prime Ministerial level since 1999. The Prime Minister will also be visiting Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia as part of his tour. He will be travelling to Brazil during the fourth leg of his visit, from July 5 to July 8, to attend the 17th BRICS Summit 2025, followed by a state visit to the South American country.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Indian PM Modi receives top civilian honor in Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago conferred India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the Carribean nation's highest civilian honor on Friday, in a first for a foreign leader. President Christine Carla Kangaloo gave Modi the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago at a ceremony at President's House in St Ann's, near the capital Port of Spain. Modi was on a two-day tour of the dual-island country as he seeks to shore up New Delhi's ties with the Caribbean and Latin America. The visit marked the Indian leader's first official trip to Trinidad and Tobago — where more than a third of the population is of Indian descent — since he came to power over a decade ago. "This honor is a symbol of the deep and eternal friendship between our two countries," Modi said. Relations between India and Trinidad and Tobago find their roots in 1845, when indentured Indian laborers first arrived to work on sugar and cocoa plantations under British colonial rule as slavery ended. Over 140,000 laborers settled in the Caribbean nation between 1845 and 1917. "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," Modi said on X. 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. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 4, 2025 The Indian prime minister's visit to Trinidad and Tobago focused on boosting investment in energy, health, security and other sectors Trinidadian Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced a number of investments in medical, energy and technological infrastructure promised by her Indian counterpart. "This visit is more than just diplomacy. It marks a new dawn," she said. "India, and Trinidad and Tobago, will now work as strategic partners," Persad-Bissessar added. Modi also declared that the sixth generation of citizens of Indian origin in the dual-island nation would be eligible to receive Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards, allowing them to freely live and work in India. The Indian prime minister is currently on a five-nation diplomatic tour, covering Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil and Namibia. He landed in Argentina late on Friday and is scheduled to hold talks with President Javier Milei. Edited by: Srinivas Mazumdaru
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trinidad and Tobago gives top honor to Indian PM Modi
Trinidad and Tobago on Friday bestowed its highest honor on visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is seeking to strengthen New Delhi's ties with the Caribbean and Latin America. Modi arrived Friday in the country, where more than a third of the population is of Indian descent. President Christine Carla Kangaloo gave him the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago at a ceremony at President's House in St Ann's, just outside the capital Port of Spain -- the first time a foreign leader was so honored. "This honor is a symbol of the deep and eternal friendship between our two countries," Modi said, according to an official translation. Relations between India and Trinidad and Tobago date back to 1845, when indentured Indian laborers first arrived to work on sugar and cocoa plantations under British colonial rule, following the end of slavery. Between 1845 and 1917, more than 140,000 laborers settled in the Caribbean nation. The Indian community is now the country's largest ethnic group, at 35.4 percent of the population of 1.4 million. Black Trinidadians are the second largest group at 34.2 percent. "It is a matter of great pride that the Indian community here continues to preserve our shared traditions, culture and customs with such care and devotion," Modi said. He called Kangaloo and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar "the biggest brand ambassadors of this community." "Our relationship carries the excitement of cricket and the flavor of Trinidad pepper," Modi said, calling Trinidad and Tobago a vital partner for New Delhi. "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," Modi wrote on X. "It's high time we all work together to give the Global South its rightful seat at the high table." During his time in Port of Spain, Modi addressed the Trinidadian parliament and signed memorandums of understanding with Persad-Bissessar. Devant Maharaj, a former government minister and leader of the nation's largest Hindu organization, called Modi a "hero" and hailed the visit. But Trinidad's largest Muslim organization questioned the decision to honor Modi, citing his human rights record. He will next visit Argentina and Brazil, where a BRICS summit will take place on Sunday and Monday. str-jt/sst/
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
India's leader promises trade and investment in a visit to Trinidad and Tobago
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi promising continued trade and investment in Trinidad and Tobago on Friday in an address to the nation's parliament. 'It's time for us to work together to give the global south its rightful seat at the table,' Modi said. 'For us there are no limits to our cooperation with you.' The two-day trip was Modi's first official visit to the diverse, twin-island Caribbean country that shares longstanding ties with India. The visit was expected to boost investment in energy, health, security and other sectors. In his speech, Modi said that he saw 'great potential' in working with Trinidad and Tobago on everything from developing new digital artificial intelligence tools to agriculture. He said that trade between the two countries was only set to grow 'with human development at the center.' Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced a number of investments into medical, energy and technological infrastructure promised by Modi, and thanked the leader. 'This visit is more than just diplomacy. It marks a new dawn," she said. "India, and Trinidad and Tobago, will now work as strategic partners.' She said that the two countries were also working on renewing bilateral trade and investment agreements, and that Trinidad and Tobago were slated to expand exports to India. In his speech, Modi also highlighted the long-standing connections between the two nations, which he said acted as a 'powerful symbol' of fraternity and trust between the two nations. More than 35% of the Caribbean country's 1.4 million inhabitants are East Indian, descendants of indentured workers brought from India during the colonial era. Modi was greeted warmly by many of the country's Hindu population, but some in Trinidad and Tobago's Muslim community sharply criticized the leader. About 18% of Trinidad and Tobago's population is Hindu, while 5% is Muslim. 'Both our nations rose from the shadows of colonial rule to write our own story,' Modi said. 'The legacy of shared heritage and mutual respect continues to guide our partnership.'
Associated Press
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
India's Modi arrives in Trinidad and Tobago to strengthen ties in first official visit
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday for a two-day trip expected to boost investments in energy, health, security and other sectors. It is Modi's first official visit to the diverse, twin-island Caribbean nation. More than 35% of its 1.4 million inhabitants are East Indian, descendants of indentured workers brought from India during the colonial era. Modi said on X prior to the trip that he was 'looking forward to deepening ties with a valued partner in the Caribbean, with whom we share very old cultural linkages.' Hours before Modi landed in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad's prime minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, closed schools and non-essential government offices as a security measure aimed at reducing traffic. Modi was scheduled to meet with officials on Thursday evening and address both Houses of Parliament on Friday, as well as sign several agreements. While many in Trinidad and Tobago's Hindu community were excited about Modi's visit, the nation's largest Muslim organization, the Anjuman Sunnat-ul-Jamaat Association, had its reservations. In a letter sent to a local newspaper, the association criticized Modi's government, saying it has 'emboldened religious intolerance and targeted the Muslim community' in India. 'We cannot ignore Mr. Modi's political legacy and its ramifications for Muslim communities globally,' the association said. About 18% of Trinidad and Tobago's population is Hindu, while 5% is Muslim. Modi is scheduled to travel to Buenos Aires, Argentina this weekend and meet with President Javier Milei.
