Trinidad & Tobago extends full support to India for UNSC permanent membership

During PM Modi’s visit to Trinidad and Tobago, six MoUs were signed to boost bilateral ties across multiple sectors. The Caribbean nation backed India’s bid for permanent UNSC membership, while India extended OCI cards to sixth-generation Indian-origin citizens there.

Port of Spain: India and Trinidad and Tobago have inked six agreements to boost cooperation in several sectors, including infrastructure and pharmaceuticals, following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterpart from the Caribbean nation, Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

In the meeting held on Friday, Prime Minister Modi announced a decision by India to issue Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards up to the sixth generation of the Indian diaspora of Trinidad and Tobago, where over 40 per cent of the population is of Indian origin.

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Modi landed in Port of Spain on Thursday in the second leg of his five-nation tour. It is the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to this Caribbean island nation since 1999.

In their talks, Modi and Bissessar also explored potential collaboration in areas of defence, agriculture, healthcare, and digital transformation, unified payments interface (UPI), and capacity building.

Significantly, Trinidad and Tobago reaffirmed its full support to India for permanent membership of an expanded United Nations Security Council, according to a joint statement released on Saturday.

The six MoUs will provide for deeper cooperation between India and Trinidad and Tobago in the fields of pharmacopeia, quick-impact projects, culture, sports, and diplomatic training, among others. The pact on sports is aimed at fostering training, talent exchange, infrastructure development, and joint capacity building. PM Modi also reiterated his offer to train aspiring young women cricketers from Trinidad and Tobago in India.

Delving into pressing global issues, Modi and Bissessar reaffirmed the need for comprehensive reforms in the United Nations, including expansion of the UN Security Council, to better reflect current realities. “While recognising the rising geopolitical tensions and global conflicts, both leaders called for dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward,” the joint statement said.

It was also agreed that India would support Trinidad and Tobago’s candidature for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the period 2027-28, and the island nation would support New Delhi’s bid for the period 2028-29. “The landmark visit of the prime minister to Trinidad and Tobago has given a boost to the special ties between the countries,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.