PM Narendra Modi addressed on Friday a large gathering of the Indian Diaspora in Trinidad and Tobago. The event was attended by the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Mrs. Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Members of her Cabinet, Members of Parliament and several other dignitaries. At the event, Prime Minister was greeted with exceptional warmth by the diaspora and given a colorful traditional Indo-Trinidadian welcome.
Welcoming Prime Minister Modi at the event, PM Kamla Persad Bissessar announced that Trinidad & Tobago would be conferring their highest National Award, "The Order of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago” on him. PM expressed his heartfelt gratitude to her and the people of Trinidad & Tobago for this honour.
In his address, Prime Minister thanked Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar for her warmth and for her contribution to strengthening the vibrant and special ties between the two countries. PM Modi underlined that his historic visit to T&T at a time when the nation is celebrating 180 years of the first arrival of Indian immigrants on its shores made it even more special.
PM praises Indian diaspora for their resilience
PM Modi praised the Indian diaspora for their resilience, cultural richness and their immense contribution to Trinidad & Tobago. Prime Minister appreciated that the Indian Diaspora in Trinidad & Tobago continues to preserve and nurture its Indian cultural roots and traditions.
\
OCI cards would be issued to people of Indian origin
To further strengthen these bonds, Prime Minister announced that OCI cards would now be issued to the 6th generation of the people of Indian origin in Trinidad & Tobago. This special gesture was greeted with loud applause. Prime Minister also underscored that the Government of India would be supporting several initiatives to nurture the Girmitiya legacy.
(An OCI card, or Overseas Citizenship of India card, is a multi-entry, multi-purpose lifelong visa for individuals of Indian origin who are citizens of other countries. It allows them to live and work in India indefinitely. The OCI card provides various benefits, including visa-free travel and exemption from police registration for any length of stay in India.)
Prime Minister outlined India’s rapid development and transformation in the fields of infrastructure, digital technologies, manufacturing, green pathways, space, innovation and start-ups. He highlighted that in the last one-decade India has made significant strides in promoting inclusive growth with over 250 million people lifted out of extreme poverty.
New engines of the country’s growth
Highlighting various aspects of India’s growth story, he noted that the country would soon be among the top three economies in the world. Prime Minister stressed that National Missions on AI, Semiconductor and Quantum Computing were becoming new engines of the country’s growth.
The grand event attended by over 4000 people featured a captivating cultural programme performed by the artistes from the Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Cultural Cooperation and other organizations.
Prakash Kumar Pandey