India and Trinidad & Tobago Deepen Bilateral Cooperation

India and Trinidad & Tobago signed eight Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) during the two-day official visit of External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar to the Caribbean nation. The agreements aim to strengthen cooperation in sectors such as tourism, healthcare, infrastructure, renewable energy, and Ayurveda.

Major Agreements Signed Between the Two Countries

The agreements covered several important sectors of mutual cooperation, including:

Tourism cooperation

Solarisation of Trinidad & Tobago’s Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs building

Vector control and public health initiatives

Infrastructure upgrade of Nelson Island

Establishment of an Indian Chair on Ayurveda at the University of the West Indies

Cooperation in healthcare and capacity building

Development-oriented Quick Impact Projects

Educational and technical collaboration

High-Level Bilateral Discussions

During the visit, Dr. S. Jaishankar held talks with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and other senior leaders of Trinidad & Tobago.

Discussions focused on:

Expanding bilateral cooperation

Reviewing progress on announcements made during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2025 visit

Cooperation in infrastructure, security, forensics, and healthcare

Strengthening coordination in regional and multilateral forums, especially on Global South issues

Development Assistance and Capacity Building Initiatives

India also announced and implemented several development-oriented initiatives during the visit:

The first batch of 2,000 laptops was distributed to selected school students

An agro-processing facility supported by Indian machinery worth 1 million US dollars was inaugurated

India and Trinidad & Tobago jointly inaugurated the National Prosthetics Centre in Penal

Cooperation under the Jaipur Foot initiative benefited around 800 individuals

Cultural and Diaspora Connect

Dr. Jaishankar visited important cultural and heritage sites linked to the Indian diaspora in Trinidad & Tobago, including:

Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Cultural Cooperation

Dattatreya Mandir and Hanuman Murti in Central Trinidad

The visit highlighted the historical and cultural ties between India and the Indian-origin community in the Caribbean nation.

Importance of Trinidad & Tobago for India

Trinidad & Tobago is a Caribbean nation and a member of CARICOM (Caribbean Community).

India and Trinidad & Tobago established diplomatic relations in 1962.

A large population of Indian origin resides in the country due to the historical Girmitiya migration during the colonial period.