Indian Community's Journey In Trinidad And Tobago "One Of Courage": PM Modi
The journey of the Indian community in Trinidad and Tobago is one of courage, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, emphasising that the hardships their ancestors endured could have "broken even the strongest spirits".
PM Modi made the comments at a community event at the National Cycling Velodrome, Couva, on Thursday.
He arrived in Trinidad and Tobago earlier in the day for a two-day visit.
The prime minister, whose first engagement in the Caribbean nation was with the Indian community, said that it felt completely natural, as "we are part of one family". Trinidad and Tobago has a population of approximately 13 lakh, 45 per cent of whom are of Indian origin.
"The journey of the Indian community in Trinidad and Tobago is about courage. The circumstances your ancestors faced could have broken even the strongest of spirits. But they faced hardships with hope. They met problems with persistence," he said.
"They left the Ganga and Yamuna behind but carried the Ramayana in their hearts," he said, calling them messengers of a "timeless civilisation".
"The community programme in Port of Spain was spectacular. The energy and warmth of the people made it truly unforgettable. Evidently, our cultural bonds shine brightly!" he said in an X post.
In his address, the prime minister stressed that the Indian community members' contribution has benefited Trinidad and Tobago "culturally, economically and spiritually". Citing eminent Indian-origin figures in the country including Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and President Christine Carla Kangaloo, he said the descendants of Girmitiyas are no longer defined by struggle, but by their "success, service, and values".
Girmitiyas were indentured labourers from British India transported to work on plantations in Fiji, South Africa, Eastern Africa (namely Mauritius, Seychelles, Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda), Malaysia, Singapore, and the Caribbean as part of the Indian indenture system.
He added that work is ongoing to create a comprehensive database of the Girmitiya community across the world.
PM Modi said that between the past and the present, the friendship between the two nations has "grown even stronger".
"Our bonds go well beyond geography and generations," Prime Minister Modi said.
"The Indian community is our pride. As I have often said, each one of you is a Rashtradoot -- an Ambassador of India's values, culture and heritage," he said.
PM Modi said that India is the fastest-growing major economy in the world. "Soon we will be among the top three economies of the world." "As we grow, we are ensuring that it is of mutual benefit to the world. Today's India is a land of opportunities," he said, adding that "India has a lot to offer".
Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar, who addressed the community before PM Modi, said that the Indian leader will be conferred on Friday with 'The Order of Trinidad and Tobago', the Caribbean nation's highest honour.
PM Modi, who is here as part of his five-nation tour, will hold talks with the top leadership of Trinidad and Tobago to further strengthen bilateral relations.
Earlier, he was received by his counterpart Persad-Bissessar at Piarco International Airport, where he was accorded a ceremonial welcome and a guard of honour.
This is his first visit to the country as prime minister and the first Indian bilateral visit at the prime ministerial level to Trinidad and Tobago since 1999.
Prime Minister Modi is also expected to address a Joint Session of the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago. His visit will impart fresh impetus to the deep-rooted and historical ties between the two countries.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Gazette
17 minutes ago
- India Gazette
153 countries importing toys from India: Piyush Goyal
New Delhi [India], July 4 (ANI): India's toy industry, once heavily dependent on imports, is now manufacturing domestically and exporting to 153 countries, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal addressing the 16th Toy Biz International B2B Expo 2025 on Friday said as he highlighted this remarkable transformation. He said that this shift has been made possible through consistent policy support, the enforcement of quality standards, and the strengthening of local manufacturing clusters. The implementation of the Quality Control Order (QCO), he added, has helped make India a quality-conscious country and enabled domestic toy manufacturers to meet global benchmarks. The Minister stated that India's population of 1.4 billion offers a vast captive market, which creates a natural advantage for scaling up manufacturing. With this scale, the industry can achieve cost efficiency and become globally competitive. The large domestic market, he said, not only supports expansion but also acts as a foundation for international growth. To capture the global market, Goyal stressed the need for the industry to focus on good branding, attractive packaging, and strong product design. He said that if these three aspects are prioritised, Indian toys can gain stronger appeal across international markets. The growth of the toy industry, Goyal noted, reflects the broader journey of development in the country. He recalled that when Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Vocal for Local initiative, it was met with skepticism by many, as foreign products dominated consumer preference. However, under the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and the belief that Local can go Global, awareness and support for home-grown industries have steadily increased. Goyal stated that startups developing innovative toy concepts have received significant support through the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, which has now been extended to 20 years. This, he said, has provided access to collateral-free loans for small businesses. He further informed that to promote domestic production, 18 toy clusters across the country have been supported by the Ministry of MSME. To build on this progress, the Minister said that the government is planning to introduce a new promotional scheme for the toy sector. The scheme, he explained, will aim to help Indian toy manufacturers become world-class by enhancing design capabilities, ensuring quality manufacturing, strengthening packaging, and supporting brand building. With sustained focus on innovation, quality, and market development, Goyal expressed confidence that India's toy industry is poised to become a key player in the global market. (ANI)
India Gazette
20 minutes ago
- India Gazette
Quality of urban governance key to ease of living: Rajya Sabha Dy Chairman Harivansh
Manesar (Haryana) [India], July 4 (ANI): Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh addressed the valedictory session of the National Level Conference of Chairpersons of Urban Local Bodies in Manesar, Haryana on Friday. In his remarks, Deputy Chairman RS Harivansh touched upon the importance of civic governance in improving the quality of life and highlighted the broader objective of 'Ease of Living' set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Harivansh also lauded the innovative efforts of various Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in addressing several local challenges through the use of technology and the efficient utilisation of available resources. 'Since 2014, alongside the emphasis on Ease of Doing Business, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also worked towards Ease of Living. In this regard, the role of Urban Local bodies is even more important,' he added. Addressing various demands for civic amenities, providing easy access to essential services through digitisation, and building capacity in solid waste management are some steps where urban local bodies have a key role to play. He urged the heads of various urban bodies to make their governance more participatory by maintaining transparency in budget allocations and measuring their outcomes. In the past, there have been recommendations to improve the accounting and auditing standards of ULBs. In his remarks, Dy Chairman Rajya Sabha Harivansh spoke about the need for state governments to decentralise and empower local bodies to ensure the 73rd and 74th amendments to the constitution are implemented in letter and spirit. He said, 'Many states have not fully taken the recommendations of the State Finance Commissions to empower local bodies financially and administratively. It is the urban schemes planned by the Union Government and the efforts of the Union Finance Commission that have supported the implementation of key projects at the city level.' As cities increase their contribution to GDP, he urged the elected representatives of various cities to focus on preparing for future challenges. 'With the increase in economic activities in urban areas, our emissions will rise too. Therefore, addressing the concerns arising out of climate change and implementing sustainable practices in our urban areas are also important,' he said. In his concluding remarks, Harivansh stated that the governance of urban areas will be crucial in achieving the nation's goal of becoming a developed country by 2047. In this regard, governance should be more inclusive and participatory to make it a people's movement. The two-day programme held in Manesar was also addressed by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Chief Minister of Haryana, Nayab Singh Saini. The conference included presentations from various cities displaying best practices in different segments of civic governance. (ANI)
India Gazette
21 minutes ago
- India Gazette
Congress seeks debate on full gamut of India-China relations in monsoon session of Parliament
New Delhi [India], July 4 (ANI): Noting that a senior Army officer has revealed some details of the 'extraordinary ways' by which China helped the Pakistan Air Force during Operation Sindoor, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said on Friday that the party would press for a discussion on full gamut of India-China relations during the monsoon session of Parliament beginning July 21. In a post on X, Jairam Ramesh said the Modi government must agree to such a discussion so that a consensus can be built for a collective response to the geopolitical and economic challenges that China poses to India. 'The Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Capability Development and Sustenance) Lt. Gen Rahul R. Singh has just publicly confirmed what has been talked about ever since Operation Sindoor was halted abruptly at the intervention of President Trump. Lt. Gen Singh has revealed some details of the extraordinary ways by which China helped the Pakistan Air Force. This is the same China which completely destroyed the status quo in Ladakh five years ago but to which Prime Minister Modi gave a public clean chit on June 19, 2020,' Jairam Ramesh said. 'For five years, the INC has been demanding a discussion on the full gamut of India-China relations in the Parliament. The Modi Government has consistently refused to have such a debate. The INC will continue to make this demand in the forthcoming monsoon session of Parliament, scheduled to commence on July 21, 2025. The Modi Government must agree at least now so that a consensus can be built for a collective response to the geopolitical and economic challenges that China poses to India - directly and through Pakistan,' he added. India has ruled out any mediation in its issues with Pakistan and said that cessation of hostilities, following Op Sindoor, ended after the neighbouring country's DGMO called up his Indian counterpart. Jairam Ramesh said that recently, China organised a trilateral meeting with Pakistan and Bangladesh in Kunming. 'India's trade deficit with China is at record highs. The border agreement arrived at is not a restoration of the status quo,' he said. Speaking at the 'New Age Military Technologies' organised by FICCI, Lieutenant General Rahul R Singh, on Friday, outlined several key lessons learnt from Operation Sindoor launched by India in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. The Deputy COAS highlighted the importance of air defence and technological advancement during military operations. Referring to Pakistan-China alliance, the Deputy Chief pointed out that India has 'two adversaries on one border,' where Pakistan was on the front and China was providing all possible support. The Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Capability Development and Sustenance) said that Pakistan has 81 per cent Chinese hardware in their military fleet. 'Air Defence and how it panned out during the entire operation was important... This time, our population centres were not quite addressed, but next time, we need to be prepared for that... So few lessons I must flag as far as Operation Sindoor is concerned. Firstly, we had one border and two adversaries, actually three. Pakistan was in the front. China was providing all possible support. In the last five years, 81% of the military hardware with Pakistan is Chinese...' he said. Emphasising the need for a robust air defence system, the Deputy COAS revealed that Pakistan had 'live updates' on India's important vectors that too, with China's help. 'China can test its weapons against other weapons, so it's like a live lab available to them. Turkey also played an important role in providing the type of support it did; they gave Bayraktar and numerous other drones... When DGMO-level talks were on, Pakistan had the live updates of our important vectors, from China... We need a robust air defence system,' he said. Lt Gen Rahul R Singh lauded the Indian Armed Forces for carrying out precision strikes on terror infrastructure. He emphasised the strategic messaging and integration of technology and human intelligence in target selection and planning. 'There are a few lessons from Operation Sindoor. The strategic messaging by leadership was unambiguous... There is no scope of absorbing the pain the way we did a few years ago... The planning and selection of targets was based on a lot of data that was collected using technology and human intelligence. So a total of 21 targets were identified, out of which nine targets we thought would be prudent to engage... It was only the final day or the final hour that the decision was taken that these nine targets would be engaged,' he said. 'A considered decision was taken that it will be a tri-services approach to send the right message that we indeed are an integrated force... An important consideration was that we should always be at the top of the escalation ladder. When we reach a military objective, we should try and put a stop to it... War is easy to initiate, but it's very difficult to control. So I would say that was a very masterly stroke that was played to stop the war at an appropriate time,' he added. (ANI)
