Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to receive Trinidad and Tobago’s highest national honour, “The Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago,” during his ongoing visit to the Caribbean nation. The award is in recognition of his global leadership, deep ties with the Indian diaspora, and humanitarian efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic.
PM Modi Friday addressed a large gathering of the Indian Diaspora in Trinidad and Tobago.
The event was attended by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Members of her Cabinet, Members of Parliament and several other dignitaries.
Welcoming Prime Minister Modi at the event, Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Bissessar announced that Trinidad & Tobago would be conferring their highest National Award, “The Order of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago” on him.
Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Modi expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Bissessar and the people of the Caribbean nation for this honour.
Praising their resilience and contributions to the country’s development, PM Modi announced that OCI cards would be issued to the 6th generation of people of Indian origin in Trinidad & Tobago, a gesture that was met with enthusiasm.
The Indian diaspora has preserved its cultural roots and traditions, and PM Modi’s announcement aims to further strengthen these bonds.
During his address, Prime Minister Modi 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 decade, India has made significant strides in promoting inclusive growth, with over 250 million people lifted out of extreme poverty.
Highlighting various aspects of India’s growth story, he noted that the country would soon be among the top three economies in the world. The Prime Minister also stressed that National Missions on AI, Semiconductor and Quantum Computing were becoming new engines of the country’s growth.
Underlining the success of UPI-based digital payments in India, he expressed optimism that their adoption in Trinidad & Tobago would be equally encouraging.
Reflecting on India’s age-old philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, meaning the world is one family, vividly demonstrated during the Covid pandemic, he offered continued support to T&T in its pursuit of progress and nation-making.
During his visit, PM Modi will also hold talks with Trinidad and Tobago’s leadership to discuss ways to further strengthen bilateral relations.
Earlier, while receiving Prime Minister Modi, Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar accorded a warm welcome, delivering glowing praise for Modi. “We bow to you, Sir,” she said, highlighting PM Modi’s visionary leadership and commitment to the Indian diaspora.
The diaspora event featured a captivating cultural programme performed by artistes from the Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Cultural Cooperation and other organisations. This honour adds to the list of accolades PM Modi has received during his tour, with Barbados, Guyana, and Dominica also conferring their highest national honours upon him.
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