“It’s time for us to work together to give the global south its rightful seat at the table,” Modi said. “For us there are no limits to our cooperation with you.” The two-day trip was Modi’s first official visit to the diverse, twin-island Caribbean country that shares longstanding ties with India. The visit was expected to boost investment in energy, health, security and other sectors. In his speech, Modi said that he saw “great potential” in working with Trinidad and Tobago on everything from developing new digital artificial intelligence tools to agriculture. He said that trade between the two countries was only set to grow “with human development at the centre”.

Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced a number of investments into medical, energy and technological infrastructure promised by Modi, and thanked the leader. “This visit is more than just diplomacy. It marks a new dawn,” she said. “India and Trinidad and Tobago will now work as strategic partners.” She said that the two countries were also working on renewing bilateral trade and investment agreements, and that Trinidad and Tobago were slated to expand exports to India. Modi also highlighted the long-standing connections between the two nations, which he said acted as a “powerful symbol” of fraternity and trust between the two nations. More than 35 per cent of the Caribbean country’s 1.4 million inhabitants are east Indian, descendants of indentured workers brought from India during the colonial era. (Jamaica Gleaner)