Port of Spain, May 10, 2026 — External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar ended his official visit to Trinidad and Tobago with a meeting with the local Indian community, stressing the historic cultural ties between the two countries and the importance of strengthening bonds with the Girmitya community.
In a social media post summarising the visit, Jaishankar described the interaction as a fitting conclusion to his trip and reiterated India’s commitment to being a reliable, responsive partner for Trinidad and Tobago.
During the visit he and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar jointly handed over an agro-processing facility in South Trinidad, a project supported by India’s SEEDS initiative. The facility aims to support local agricultural value chains and skills development. Jaishankar also inaugurated a permanent Prosthetics Centre in Penal, modelled on India’s Jaipur Foot programme; the centre will provide services to people with disabilities in Trinidad and Tobago and the wider CARICOM region.
These projects were highlighted by the minister as examples of people-focused cooperation in healthcare, agriculture and capacity building, reflecting India’s broader engagement in the Caribbean.
Earlier in the tour, on May 6, Jaishankar visited Suriname where he paid tribute at the Monument for the Fallen Heroes in Mariënburg, commemorating those who died in the 1902 uprising. He honoured the sacrifices of the Girmitya community and noted their resilience and pursuit of dignity abroad.
Jaishankar’s trip ran from May 2 to May 10 and included high-level visits to Jamaica and Suriname. The engagements across the three countries were presented as a concerted effort to deepen India’s diplomatic, developmental and cultural ties in the Caribbean.
