Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday exhorted upon the Indian diaspora in Trinidad and Tobago to visit India, the land of their ancestors and walk the soil they once walked on, saying that the people back home will welcome them with open arms and jalebi.
The remarks came during PM Modi's address to the community in the island nation after he received a rousing welcome by his counterpart Kamla Persad Bissessar, who referred to as the "daughter of Bihar" given her ancestral ties to the Indian state.
Modi also highlighted Bihar's rich historical and cultural legacy while praising the resilience of the Indian diaspora. He also requesting the Trinidad and Tobago PM to offer sacred water from India to the Ganga Dhara in the Caribbean nation.
PM Modi invited Kamla Persad Bissessar to visit Mahakumbh
"Kamla ji's ancestors hailed from Buxar in Bihar, and she has even visited the place herself. People regard her as a daughter of Bihar," he said.
He went on to mention the Mahakumbh, held earlier this year, calling it the world’s largest spiritual gathering. "I had the honour of bringing water from the Mahakumbh with me. I request Kamla ji to offer this holy water from the Sarayu River and the Mahakumbh to the Ganga Dhara here,” he added.
Bissessar had previously visited her ancestral village, Bhelupur in the Itarhi block of Buxar district, in 2012.
OCI cards for 6th generation Indian diaspora
During his address, PM Modi also announced that individuals of Indian origin in Trinidad and Tobago, up to the sixth generation, will now be eligible for Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards, granting them the right to live and work in India without any restrictions.
"Today, I'm happy to announce that the OCI cards will be given to the sixth generation of the Indian diaspora in Trinidad and Tobago. We aren't just connected by blood or surname. You are connected by belonging. India welcomes, and India embraces you!" he said.
This marks Prime Minister Modi’s first bilateral visit to Trinidad and Tobago and the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the country since 1999.
