PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) 鈥� Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi promising continued trade and investment in on Friday in an address to the nation's parliament.
鈥淚t's time for us to work together to give the global south its rightful seat at the table,鈥� Modi said. 鈥淔or us there are no limits to our cooperation with you.鈥�
The two-day trip was Modi's 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 鈥済reat potential鈥� 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 鈥渨ith human development at the center.鈥�
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.
鈥淭his visit is more than just diplomacy. It marks a new dawn," she said. "India, and Trinidad and Tobago, will now work as strategic partners.鈥�
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 鈥減owerful symbol鈥� of fraternity and trust between the two nations. More than 35% of the Caribbean country's 1.4 million inhabitants are East Indian, descendants of indentured workers brought from India during the colonial era.
On Thursday, the Indian leader also announced that the sixth generation of citizens with Indian origin in Trinidad and Tobago would be eligible to receive Overseas Citizen of India cards, allowing them to freely live and work in India.
Modi was greeted warmly by many of the country鈥檚 Hindu population, but some in Trinidad and Tobago's Muslim community sharply criticized the leader. About 18% of Trinidad and Tobago鈥檚 population is Hindu, while 5% is Muslim.
鈥淏oth our nations rose from the shadows of colonial rule to write our own story,鈥� Modi said. 鈥淭he legacy of shared heritage and mutual respect continues to guide our partnership.鈥�
The Associated Press
