Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has marked a new era of results-driven international diplomacy, celebrating the successful recent visit of India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar that delivered eight new binding bilateral agreements and a slate of tangible development gains for the Caribbean nation.
In an exclusive interview with local outlet the Express, Persad-Bissessar drew a clear distinction between her administration’s proactive approach and the perceived inaction of previous governments, arguing that unfulfilled bilateral agreements represent hollow, purposeless diplomacy that her government has rejected outright. Over the past 12 months, she noted, her administration has secured substantial and actionable support from key global partners, including the United States for national security collaboration, and India – which she confirmed has delivered on every commitment made by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his 2025 visit to Trinidad and Tobago less than a year prior.
The eight new MOUs signed during Jaishankar’s visit cover a diverse range of sectors aligned with Trinidad and Tobago’s domestic development priorities. Key agreements include strengthened tourism cooperation between the two nations, a project to install solar energy infrastructure at Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs headquarters, planned infrastructure upgrades for historic Nelson Island, and the establishment of a dedicated Ayurveda Chair at the University of the West Indies. Additional memoranda cover the implementation of Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) and public health vector control programs, expanded collaboration in cybersecurity and digital forensics, alongside targeted development assistance.
Beyond formal agreements, the visit saw the Indian government complete the handover of 2,000 laptops to Trinidad and Tobago students as part of a bilateral digital inclusion initiative. New Delhi also provided $1 million in funding for agro-processing equipment and capacity building for the Caribbean country’s small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector. A major highlight of the visit was the official launch of the National Prosthetics Centre in Penal, established with support from the Indian government and Jaipur Foot USA. Persad-Bissessar emphasized that the facility offers free prosthetic care to all Trinidad and Tobago citizens in need, regardless of age, religion or ethnicity, restoring independence and dignity to residents requiring limb replacements. The Prime Minister shared that she was moved to tears by testimonials from recipients who had regained the ability to live independently after receiving care at the new centre.
Calling the outcomes of the visit a testament to constructive, forward-looking dialogue that delivers real gains for Trinidad and Tobago’s population, Persad-Bissessar extended her gratitude to Prime Minister Modi and the people of India for their partnership and generosity. She noted that the longstanding relationship between the two nations, built over more than a century across thousands of miles of ocean, has grown dramatically in recent months, with two visits from India’s top leadership to the 1.4 million-person Caribbean nation in less than a year. Home to one of the largest Indian diaspora communities in the Caribbean and Latin America, Trinidad and Tobago remains committed to deepening ties not just diplomatically, but also in trade, energy exploration and economic cooperation, she added.
Persad-Bissessar also outlined her government’s broader push to reposition Trinidad and Tobago as a leading investment and trade hub in the region, after nearly a decade of domestic stagnation. She highlighted successful outcomes from her attendance at the 2024 Shield of the Americas Summit in Florida, noting that foreign minister Sean Sobers has already held follow-up working meetings with partner nations across Latin America. Trinidad and Tobago has also submitted an application for associate membership in MERCOSUR, a move the Prime Minister said will unlock new market access and trade opportunities for local businesses. Recent high-level diplomatic engagements also include a meeting with a senior delegation led by the French ambassador just one week prior to her interview, and a new agreement with the World Bank Group that will see the multilateral institution open a local office in Trinidad and Tobago to support critical infrastructure pipeline projects.
With growing international interest in partnering with Trinidad and Tobago, Persad-Bissessar reaffirmed her administration’s commitment to delivering on campaign promises of improved prosperity for all citizens. “I promised brighter and better days ahead and they are here and coming,” she said. “As I said hold on, hold strain, we have plenty work to do and we are ensuring that every plan is actioned and there are meaningful benefits to the people of Trinidad and Tobago.”