PM Modi to address Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago during his visit

New Delhi: In a “special gesture”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a joint session of Trinidad and Tobago’s Parliament during his official visit to the island nation in July, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Monday.

Secretary (South) in the MEA Neena Malhotra, at a special briefing here, also said that the speaker’s chair in Trinidad and Tobago’s Parliament was gifted by India, which is again a “symbolic reminder of the strong democratic and parliamentary traditions” between the two countries. Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita paid an official visit to Trinidad and Tobago on August 23-24 last year.

In a post on X on August 25, 2024, Margherita had shared some photos of his visit to Trinidad and Tobago’s Parliament.

“The Speaker’s Chair in the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago @TTParliament, gifted by people of India to the people of Trinidad and Tobago in 1968 is a testament of our historical relations and deep-rooted people-to-people ties. @MEAIndia,” Margherita had said in his post.

He had also shared a photo of the ornate chair that carries an inscription -- “From the People of India to the People of Trinidad and Tobago”.

Modi is scheduled to embark on a five-nation tour on July 2 to participate in the BRICS Summit in Brazil and expand India’s ties with several key nations of the Global South. Besides Brazil, the prime minister will visit Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina and Namibia during the eight-day trip, the MEA said.

The first leg of his visit will be to Ghana, from where he will travel to Trinidad and Tobago on a two-day visit on July 3-4.

During the visit, Modi will hold talks with President of Trinidad and Tobago Christine Carla Kangaloo and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

Modi will visit the country at the invitation of Trinidad and Tobago’s prime minister.

This will be his first visit to the Caribbean island nation as prime minister and the first bilateral visit by an Indian prime minister since 1999, Malhotra said. “The visit comes at an opportune time as this year, 2025, the country is commemorating 180 years of the arrival of Indian immigrants to Trinidad and Tobago,” she added. “This shared history forms the bedrock of our close and enduring people-to-people ties,” Malhotra said.

Modi’s visit to Trinidad and Tobago will impart fresh impetus to the deep-rooted and historical ties between the two countries, the MEA said. “In a special gesture, Prime Minister Modi will also address a joint session of the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago. It is symbolic of our strong parliamentary traditions and our democratic values,” Malhotra said. It is somewhat special this time as both the prime minister and the president of Trinidad and Tobago are of Indian descent, both are women and achievers in their own ways, Malhotra said.

“I may add that the speaker’s chair in Parliament has been gifted by India, which is again a symbolic reminder of the strong democratic and parliamentary traditions between our two countries,” she added.