United Nations, Sep 23 (IANS) Trinidad’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar discussed economic cooperation to strengthen relations with India during her meeting with External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar.
She posted on X after their Tuesday meeting, “We discussed strengthening T&T [Trinidad and Tobago]–India relations through greater economic cooperation, increased trade and Exim Bank financing for development projects”.
“Our longstanding friendship continues to grow”, she added.
EAM Jaishankar, who said he was privileged to meet her, wrote on X that they “noted the progress on delivery of commitments made during PM [Narendra] Modi’s visit”.
During the visit in July last year, PM Modi offered 2,000 laptops for Trinidad’s flagship educational programmes, provided for the revival of academic chairs in Hindi and Indian studies at the University of the West Indies, and agreed to provide artificial limbs for 800 people.
India also signed a memorandum of agreement on Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) under which New Delhi is to provide $50,000 for five projects each year.
Another agreement was for India to install a solar photovoltaic system at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to generate electricity.
Trinidad has about 575,000 people of Indian descent, who make up about 42 per cent of the Caribbean nation’s population.
PM Modi’s visit took place as Trinidad was observing the 180th anniversary of the arrival of Indian immigrants to Trinidad and Tobago in 1845.
Earlier in May, India and Trinidad and Tobago signed eight agreements in sectors including tourism, healthcare, infrastructure and Ayurveda during External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s two-day visit to the Caribbean nation.
EAM Jaishankar said that MoUs were signed between the two sides for solarisation of Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs building, vector control, infrastructure upgrade of Nelson Island, where the Indian immigrants stayed initially and for setting up an Indian Chair on Ayurveda at the University of the West Indies.
–IANS
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