After visiting Jamaica and Suriname, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar meets the Trinidad and Tobago Indian diaspora in Port of Spain at a community event during the final leg of his tri-nation Caribbean tour. | Photo credit: PTI
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the agreement on archival cooperation between India and Trinidad and Tobago will help members of the Indian diaspora trace their ancestral roots and reconnect with families as he highlighted New Delhi’s efforts to preserve the heritage of the Girmitya community.
Girmitya refers to Indian laborers transported by the British to colonies in Fiji, South Africa, Mauritius and the Caribbean between the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Addressing a rally on historic Nelson Island on Saturday (May 9, 2026), Mr Jaishankar recalled the arrival of the first Indian laborers in Trinidad and Tobago 180 years ago. He paid tribute to their “strength, determination and determination” in building new lives in difficult circumstances.
He said immigrants carried their traditions, beliefs and way of life with them, adding that it was appropriate that such history should be preserved as a legacy.
Mr. Jaishankar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi attaches great importance to creating a database of the Girmitya community and conducting research on its legacy.
He said India is working to set up a dedicated Girmitya Studies center for Modi’s instructions.
Referring to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the National Archives of India and Trinidad and Tobago, Mr Jaishankar said he hoped the agreement would help many people in the Caribbean country “trace their ancestral roots and reconnect with their families in India”.
He also noted that the Indian High Commission in Trinidad and Tobago has been receiving an increasing number of applications for OCI (Overseas Citizenship of India) cards after Mr. Modi announced the extension of OCI eligibility up to the sixth generation during his visit to the country.
“The number of OCI applications received by the High Commission is increasing and we will try to make it easier for others who may not necessarily have access to the required paperwork,” the minister said.
Mr Jaishankar joined the launch of a rapid impact project to upgrade heritage facilities on Nelson Island with grant aid from India. The project includes a memorial, the creation of a digital center for historical data from the national archives and a digital audio-visual experience.
According to the Indian High Commission website, approximately 143,000 laborers from the Indian subcontinent immigrated to Trinidad here between 1845 and 1917. A large majority of these Indian emigrants came from North India and Bihar.
Descendants of these workers, who are now in their fifth or sixth generation, constitute nearly 40-45% of the total population of 1.36 million (as of 2024), forming an integral part of the country’s economic, political and social fabric, it says.
Mr. Jaishankar concluded his visit to Trinidad and Tobago on Saturday.
He was in Port of Spain on the final leg of his three-nation tour of Jamaica, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, aimed at deepening India’s cooperation with Caribbean nations.
Published – 10 May 2026 23:12 IST
