PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Indian Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, arrived here on Thursday at the start of a two-day state visit aimed at fostering closer ties with Trinidad and Tobago at both the bilateral and multilateral levels.
The 74-year-old leader of the world’s most populous state was met upon arrival by a delegation headed by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and ministers of her coalition administration. His visit here is part of a five-nation trip that will also take him to Ghana, Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia.
He was also greeted by traditional Indian music and dancing by local performers, accompanied by a steel band. Persad Bissessar, who led the United National Congress (UNC) coalition to power in the April 28 general election, had extended an invitation to Modi to visit the twin-island republic.
Modi will be awarded the country’s highest award, the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (ORTT), which according to a statement from the Office of the Prime Minister “will therefore serve as a tribute of the nation’s appreciation for Modi’s outstanding contribution to the development of Trinidad and Tobago; and service to the region and wider international community”.
The statement noted that “his leadership has also resulted in strengthened relations between India and CARICOM (Caribbean Community).”
The 74-year-old Modi is scheduled to attend a Community Diaspora Event in Couva, Central Trinidad, later on Wednesday and will pay a courtesy call on President Christine Kangaloo the following day, followed by an address to a Joint Assembly of the Parliament, the exchange of Memoranda of Understanding, and a Tree-Planting Ceremony.
Modi, who has been the Prime Minister of the world’s largest democracy since 2014 and is now serving his third term, in 2024, received the highest national awards from Barbados, Guyana, and Dominica.
Meanwhile, the Trinidad and Tobago government has sought to downplay concerns raised by the Muslim community here regarding Modi’s visit, insisting that it is committed to the principles of equality, respect, and inclusion for all citizens.
The Muslim community has publicly expressed discomfort over Modi’s presence due to his administration’s treatment of Muslim minorities in India with the Anjuman Sunnat-ul-Jamaat Association (ASJA) urging the the public to approach this visit “with thoughtful discernment and calls on the Muslim community to respond with principled composure, religious freedom, and human dignity through peaceful and constructive channels”.
The Islamic Da’wah Movement has called on Prime Minister Persad Bissessar to raise the issue of Muslim discrimination in India when she meets with Modi.
But CARICOM and Foreign Affairs Minister, Sean Sobers, said the Trinidad and Tobago government “remains unwavering in its commitment to the principles of equality, respect, and inclusion for all individuals, regardless of race, ethnic origin, colour, creed, or social class.
” We deeply value the rich diversity that defines our national identity and uphold the freedom of every citizen to express their concerns in our democratic society,” he added.
and then 