India and Trinidad and Tobago finalized eight Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) during a bilateral visit by India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, which concluded on 9 May 2026. These agreements cover vital areas such as healthcare, digital public infrastructure, tourism, and cultural exchange. The visit operationalized commitments made during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Port of Spain in July 2025. Dr. Jaishankar held bilateral talks with the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, to align policies on Global South representation in multilateral forums and execute concrete development projects.
Sectoral Breakdown of Bilateral Agreements
Healthcare and Traditional Medicine
- Establishment of Ayurveda Chair: An Indian Chair on Ayurveda will be set up at the University of the West Indies (UWI) to promote clinical research, academic collaboration, and training in traditional medicine.
- National Prosthetics Centre: Dr. S. Jaishankar and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar jointly inaugurated the National Prosthetics Centre in Penal, equipped with Indian-manufactured rehabilitative technology.
- Vector Control Partnership: Joint initiatives were approved to combat vector-borne diseases through tech-sharing, monitoring, and capacity building.
Digital Public Infrastructure and Technology
- Digital Transformation Support: India will assist Trinidad and Tobago in implementing scalable Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) modeled on the India Stack, focusing on digital identity, payment systems, and governance.
- Cybersecurity and Forensics: Separate agreements were signed to enhance institutional capabilities in cybersecurity, digital forensics, and training for law enforcement personnel.
Infrastructure and Energy Assistance
- Solarisation Project: India will fund and execute the solarisation of the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs building in Port of Spain using green energy technologies.
- Nelson Island Preservation: Infrastructure upgrades will be carried out on Nelson Island, an important historical heritage site linked to the arrival of Indian indentured laborers.
Education and Agriculture
- Digital Learning Aid: India delivered 2,000 laptops earmarked for school-going children to bridge the digital divide.
- Agro-Processing Facility: A modern agro-processing plant was operationalized in Couva using specialized Indian machinery valued at 1 million US dollars.
Diaspora Connect and Historical Linkages
Root Tracing Initiative
The National Archives of India and the National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago signed an institutional agreement. This partnership enables members of the Indo-Trinidadian diaspora to trace their ancestral lineage by digitizing and accessing historical shipping manifests and immigration logs from the indentured labor era.
Key Pillars of Bilateral Framework
| Collaboration Area | Specific Initiative | Target Location / Institution |
| Traditional Health | Institutional Ayurveda Chair | University of the West Indies |
| Industrial Agriculture | Agro-processing plant setup | Couva |
| Heritage Conservation | Infrastructure restoration | Nelson Island |
| Medical Rehabilitation | National Prosthetics Centre | Penal |
IASPOINT Booster Facts for UPSC
CARICOM (Caribbean Community)
CARICOM is an intergovernmental organization of 15 member states and 5 associate members throughout the Americas and Atlantic Ocean. Its primary objective is to promote economic integration, cooperation among members, and coordinate foreign policy. The secretariat is located in Georgetown, Guyana. Trinidad and Tobago is a founding member.
The Girmitiya Diaspora
The term “Girmitiya” is derived from the indentured labor agreement, locally mispronounced as “girmit.” Between 1838 and 1917, over half a million Indians were transported to various Caribbean islands, including Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Suriname, to work on sugar plantations following the abolition of slavery. The first ship carrying Indian laborers to Trinidad was the Fatel Razack, which arrived on 30 May 1845, a day now celebrated annually as Indian Arrival Day.
India-UN Development Partnership Fund
The funding for projects like the solarisation of the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs often utilizes mechanisms like the India-UN Development Partnership Fund. Managed by the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), this fund supports Southern-owned and Southern-led sustainable development projects across the developing world, focusing on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs).
Last Modified: May 19, 2026