India-T&T relations has been special, a new kind of partnership, since Kamla Persad Bissessar was elected as PM in April 2025 and the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July 2025, the only visit since he became PM in May 2014; he visited Trinidad twice before in private. It is only his second visit as PM to the Caribbean following his visit to Guyana in November 2024 when he also met with leaders of the Caribbean. India is an asset to T&T that the previous government failed to exploit. Foreign Minister Jaishankar’s visit this weekend, his second, provides another opportunity to strengthen ties following the failure of the previous Rowley administration to woo India for gains.
The previous administration in Trinidad had ten years to organize a visit of the Indian PM or the FM to deepen ties and to tap into India’s technology to promote development in T&T. But no serious effort was made to court Modi.
With shared history, long tradition of friendship based on mutual respect, and extensive cooperation in international relations, not to mention that India is the fifth largest economy, the Rowley administration could have pursed a friendly policy to deepen cooperation between the two countries. Instead, India was not considered important even though all the major global economies courted India for trade and technology cooperation over that decade. PM Kamla is wise to recognize the importance of India to T&T and has pursed close ties. It took Kamla less than two months after being elected to organize a visit by Modi and Dr Jaishankar. Modi brought a set of development aid for T&T that the country never experienced.
And now the visit by Jaishankar to strengthen the relationship and offer more aid morning to T&T but the region as well. He also visits Jamaica and Suriname. The visit highlights more than 64 years of diplomatic relations between TT and India. The visit is also part of continued high-level exchanges between two countries and reflects the importance India attaches to its relations with T&T. It builds upon the positive momentum of last year’s high-level exchanges and reaffirms the close and longstanding relations between TT and India. Jaishankar’s visit not only provides an opportunity to follow up on the action plan developed last year but also to deliberate upon new avenues of cooperation between the two nations. The visit comes in the background of tension with the US among Caricom nations, in the Caribbean over narco trafficking, and general global developments, a la the wars in Ukraine and Iran. Meetings with Jaishankar should focus on deepening strategic partnership and continued cooperation in economic, international diplomacy, and technical sectors.
Close ties between India and Trinidad are not new. It has a history rooted in strong cultural and people-to-people links and trade since 1845 when the first set of indentured laborers arrived here. The cultural connection is reflected in institutions and practices by the presence of the large Indian community.It is not forgotten that India was among the first countries to recognize T&T as an independent nation in 1962; India had cultural links decades earlier.
Jaishankar’s visit not only provides an opportunity to follow up on the action plan developed last year but also to deliberate upon new avenues of cooperation between the two nations, considering the challenges posed by U.S. President Donald Trump and heightened tensions between the US and China in the Caribbean region. The significance of the visit also lies in the fact that it will allow TT to find ways in which India can still work with Caricom. TT should explore all avenues of enhancing bilateral trade and investment cooperation.
The India-T&T partnership offers promising potential to grow particularly in the context of challenges in the global context. Jaishankar’s visit will help to strengthen bilateral ties, focusing on investments, trade, and international relations as part of a broader diplomatic tour. The FM will meet with PM Kamla, Government leader Barry Padarath, President Kangaloo and Foreign Minister Sobers, highlighting T&T crucial role in India’s Caribbean policy.
The government should look to India for assistance in establishing industrial park, improving health care and food production, providing skill development and connectivity, expanding the Debe campus in medical studies, establishing an India Center, luring Indian investors, aid to modernize infrastructure, providing technology and technical training to Trinibagonians in governance, sustainability and establishment data centers, and sir linkage.
The PM, Sobers, Padarath, and Jaishankar should review progress of the outcomes of Modi visit, which included areas of investments, industrial parks, infrastructure, skill development and connectivity. They should also exchange views on global developments. High Commissioner Dr Pradeep Rajpurohit is commended for pulling off this visit.
