The Indian Diaspora Council International (IDC) has petitioned the Government of India to hold a Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (RPBD) 2026 to be held in Trinidad & Tobago during October – November 2026 time period. This would precede the biennial Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2027 (PBD) scheduled to be held in India 7-9 January 2027. The request was done in coordination with Mr. Deo Gosine and Dr. Vishnu Bisram who have long advocated for the RPBD to be held in the Caribbean region, encompassing several former British, Dutch and French colonies, home to over 1 million descendants of Indian indentured laborers. The Deo Gosine Foundation has offered to be a co-host or co-sponsor at its facility in Debe.
In a 22nd May 2026 letter sent to Dr. S. Jaishankar, India’s Minister of External Affairs, IDC president Ashook Ramsaran stated that “it would be timely opportunity for strengthening linkage between India and the Indian Caribbean Diaspora for diplomacy, commerce, investment, culture, and community. There is enthusiastic support for this proposal, including Indian High Commissioner in Port of Spain, Ambassador Dr. Pradeep Rajpurohit”.
RPBD 2026 in the Caribbean region would be similar to highly successful RPBDs have been held in several cities/countries: New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, London, The Hague, Mauritius, Durban, Singapore and Sydney. Convening RPBD 2026 in the Caribbean region would be timely and significant.
“RPBDa localized convention organized by the Indian government in countries with high concentrations of the Indian diaspora. It brings together overseas Indians, policymakers, and business leaders to discuss region-specific issues and strengthen ties with India. They are specifically designed for members of the diaspora who are unable to travel to India for the main convention, with focus on the specific economic, social, and cultural concerns of the Indian diaspora living in a particular geographical region. The conventions offer an ideal platform to network, share experiences, and explore ways the diaspora can contribute back to India.”
There is tremendous interest in RPBD 2026 in the Caribbean region where it was never held since its inception. The Caribbean region comprise several neighboring countries with significant populations of people of Indian origin, descendants of Indian indentured labourers who first arrived in the region in 1838. These include: Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, Jamaica, Grenada, as well as the French territories of Guadeloupe, Martinique and French Guiana.
With the expected support of Trinidad & Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, RPBD 2026 in Port of Spain would certainly attract participants from neighboring countries. In addition, there would be interest from Latin American countries which look to a surging India as an invaluable source of skilled workers, high technology, economic investments and increasing trade.
The recent visits and engagements in the region by HE Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, Min. Jaishankar and other Indian officials have generated increasing interests. Prime Ministers (late) Basdeo Panday and Kamla Persad-Bissessar were chief guests at PBD, and PBSA have been awarded to outstanding individuals and institutions of Trinidad and Tobago.
Trinidad & Tobago is a regional hub of strategic and economic importance with international access, transportation and modern facilities. The Summit of the Americas in 2009 attended by USA President Obama, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Organization of American States (OAS) and other high profile meetings are held here. The United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other officials regularly meet with Prime Minister Bissessar and other officials.
The highly successful conference of 31 May 2011, organized by Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre (OIFC) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) “Building a New Partnership between India and the Caribbean: The Role of Diaspora”, developed new trade and investment initiatives beneficial to both India and the Caribbean region.
The initiators intend to also seek the support of Members of Parliament of T&T including Saddam Hosein, Barry Padarath, among others.
PM exchanges gifts with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Ms. Kamla Persad-Bissessar at Port of Spain, in Republic of Trinidad and Tobago on July 03, 2025.
