Trinidad and Tobago Seeks to Strengthen Ties with India

Introduction to the Partnership

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – The Trinidad and Tobago government Friday said it intends to become the first Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country to enter into a partial scope trade agreement with India.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar, speaking at the joint sitting of Parliament in honour of India’s Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, said that the two countries stand uniquely poised, with India being the world’s most populous nation and a top-four economy. At the same time, Trinidad and Tobago stands as the largest economy in the Eastern Caribbean and the gateway to CARICOM and Latin America.

Economic Ties and Future Plans

“Both are vibrant, diverse democracies committed to inclusion, education, and progress, and our theme, ‘Two Nations with Historical Bonds and a Shared Future,’ is therefore a call to purposeful action,” she told the ceremony.

Persad Bissessar stated that bilateral trade between Trinidad and Tobago and India reached a record TT$1.2 billion (approximately US$0.16 billion) in the last fiscal year.

Trinidad and Tobago exports energy products, including ammonia, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and methanol, while importing pharmaceuticals, textiles, and industrial goods from India.

“As we look ahead, we aim to expand our exports to tap into India’s market of 1.4 billion consumers. We are also pursuing a partial scope trade agreement, the first from a CARICOM country and laying the foundation for a new bilateral investment treaty,” Persad Bissessar said.

Health and Energy Initiatives

She said India’s status as the world’s pharmacy is well established, with institutions like Serum Institute and Cipla saving lives globally.

“We are partnering with Indian pharmaceutical leaders to establish local drug manufacturing facilities, biotech parks, and telemedicine networks, thereby enhancing health resilience and creating high-quality jobs.

“India has also pledged support for, among other initiatives, a Jaipur Foot camp, dialysis units, and sea ambulances, initiatives that will directly benefit our communities.”

However, she acknowledged that energy remains central to both economies and that the Port of Spain is in discussions with Indian companies to participate in various energy-related projects.

Digital and Security Cooperation

Persad Bissessar said that Trinidad and Tobago has adopted India’s UPI system and collaborates on India Stack tools, such as Aadhaar and DigiLocker, to modernise public services.

“Together, we aim to position Trinidad and Tobago as a digital hub for the Americas and empower a new generation of tech-savvy citizens,” she said, adding that India continues to support the country’s security efforts through training under the ITEC Programme and assistance in establishing a Regional Forensic Science Centre.

“We also welcome India’s offer of the SACHET disaster alert system to strengthen our national emergency response,” she said, adding that New Delhi continues to enrich Trinidad and Tobago through scholarships, training, and cultural exchange.

Cultural Exchange and Legacy

“We are renewing academic chairs at UWI (University of the West Indies), expanding the Mahatma Gandhi Institute’s reach, and transforming Nelson Island into a cultural heritage site with digitised indentureship records. Notably, six of our nationals have received the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, India’s highest honour for non-nationals.”

Prime Minister Persad Bissessar said that this year marks 180 years since the first Indian indentured labourers arrived here “with little or nothing” and “alongside the sons and daughters of other nations whose children were brought to our shores, together, they built Trinidad and Tobago”.

She said nowhere is that shared legacy more vividly reflected than in Parliament, “the living symbol of our diverse, democratic journey.

“It is fitting, then, that we welcome here today Prime Minister Modi, leader of the world’s largest democracy, and a statesman whose story mirrors the hopes of ordinary people. For in these chambers, the voices of our ancestors still echo. It is here, through unity and principled dialogue, that we carry their legacy forward,” she said, noting earlier that Modi had become the first foreign national to have been conferred with the nation’s highest award, the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

Conclusion

The partnership between Trinidad and Tobago and India is set to strengthen the economic, health, and cultural ties between the two nations. With a shared commitment to democracy, inclusion, and progress, the future of this partnership looks promising.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the current state of trade between Trinidad and Tobago and India?

Bilateral trade between Trinidad and Tobago and India reached a record TT$1.2 billion (approximately US$0.16 billion) in the last fiscal year.

What initiatives are being undertaken to enhance health resilience in Trinidad and Tobago?

Trinidad and Tobago is partnering with Indian pharmaceutical leaders to establish local drug manufacturing facilities, biotech parks, and telemedicine networks.

How is India supporting Trinidad and Tobago’s security efforts?

India continues to support Trinidad and Tobago’s security efforts through training under the ITEC Programme and assistance in establishing a Regional Forensic Science Centre.