A sea of flags, saffron shawls and Trinidadian dhol beats greeted Narendra Modi as he stepped onto the stage in Port of Spain. The setting was festive, the crowd mostly Indo-Trinidadian, and the message unmistakable: India had returned to the Caribbean with more than just nostalgia.
Modi’s July 2025 visit to Trinidad and Tobago, his first to the country and the first by an Indian prime minister in 26 years, placed the spotlight firmly on a region with deep historical ties to India. The visit coincided with wider outreach across the Caribbean, including Guyana and the CARICOM summit in Tobago. But for many, the moment carried weight because of what Trinidad represents: a population where over 40 percent trace their roots to India, and where festivals like Diwali are part of the national rhythm.
The connection goes back nearly two centuries. Between 1838 and 1917, more than half a million Indians were transported to the Caribbean as indentured labourers. They came mainly from what is now Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, working in plantations across British and Dutch colonies. In Guyana, Trinidad and Suriname, their descendants now form major ethnic groups. Today, Suriname’s Hindustanis make up more than a quarter of the population. In Guyana, people of Indian origin account for around 43 percent. In Trinidad, they are the largest ethnic bloc, shaping both politics and culture.
These ties are not just statistical. Caribbean Hindustani dialects, Hindi film songs, and rituals like puja and Eid prayers continue to link the Indo-Caribbean community to ancestral India. Even in places like Jamaica, where the Indo-Jamaican population is small, the historical imprint remains. Sarnami Hindustani is still widely spoken in Suriname. Chutney music, a hybrid of Bhojpuri folk and Caribbean soca, is popular across Indo-Caribbean communities. Bollywood films, bhajans and Hindi weddings keep the cultural pipeline open.
India has tapped into this legacy over the years with varying intensity. Modi’s government has sought to formalise and strengthen it. His announcement that sixth-generation Indian-origin Trinidadians would be eligible for Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) is a case in point. So is the Know India Programme, which brings young Indo-Caribbeans to India on heritage trips. The message is one of belonging, reinforced by policies that encourage diaspora travel, education and business ties.
Yet the cultural connection, while powerful, cannot mask the limits of economic engagement. Trade between India and Trinidad and Tobago stood at around US$369 million in 2023–24. Investment remains low. Critics have long pointed out that India’s presence in the Caribbean, while warm, has been light. Modi’s 2025 visit tried to address that perception, with deals in digital payments, food processing and renewable energy. Trinidad became the first Caribbean country to adopt India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI), offering a foothold for Indian fintech exports.
Guyana’s oil boom has also caught India’s attention. With an estimated 11 billion barrels discovered since 2015, the country is becoming an energy player. India has already begun importing Guyanese oil and is exploring deeper energy cooperation. In Trinidad, Modi announced agreements on pharmaceuticals, digital infrastructure and health training. There was discussion of AI, agriculture and climate partnerships. Modi framed India as a “trusted partner,” citing joint efforts across technology, manufacturing and education.
Soft power remains central to the strategy. Modi’s appearances drew large crowds, many waving Indian flags and chanting slogans. Cultural programmes, from yoga demonstrations to bhajan sessions, were broadcast widely. Diaspora diplomacy continues to be one of India’s most effective tools abroad, and nowhere is it more resonant than in countries where the Indian population is large and politically influential. Trinidad’s former Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Guyana’s former President Bharrat Jagdeo are both of Indian descent. Nobel laureate V.S. Naipaul, born in Trinidad, is perhaps the region’s most recognisable cultural export.
Still, competition is growing. China has poured billions into Caribbean infrastructure through its Belt and Road Initiative. Ports, highways, hospitals and telecommunications projects are now visibly stamped with Chinese flags. The United States, wary of being outflanked, has increased its own outreach. In May 2025, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted seven Caribbean prime ministers in Washington, promising support for climate resilience, trade and development. India, by comparison, lacks the same financial reach or security leverage.
But it is offering something else. Modi’s Caribbean strategy leans on a shared identity with Indo-Caribbean populations, a Global South narrative, and targeted sectoral cooperation. That includes scholarships, joint projects in agriculture and tech, and a focus on public goods like digital infrastructure. India has positioned itself as a development partner, not a lender. Vaccine diplomacy during the pandemic helped, as did training programmes and expert delegations in education, health and e-governance.
Whether this approach is enough remains to be seen. Indo-Caribbean youth are more concerned with crime, jobs and education than ancestral memory. Many are migrating again, this time to the US, Canada or the UK. The “double diaspora” phenomenon creates a more complex identity. While there is still a pull towards India, it is no longer the only one. The challenge for Indian foreign policy is to remain relevant beyond sentiment and family heritage.
Even so, Modi’s 2025 visit has repositioned India in the Caribbean conversation. The symbolism of state receptions and cultural galas was matched by deals with economic and digital potential. By combining heritage with trade, history with future-facing platforms, India is trying to shape a role that neither mimics China nor mirrors the U.S. Instead, it is leaning on what it has: a deep connection, an educated diaspora, and a reputation for people-to-people diplomacy.
From the sugar contracts of the 1800s to the digital agreements of today, the India–Caribbean relationship has been long, uneven and layered. It now faces a fresh chapter, shaped by economic pragmatism, geopolitical flux and the enduring weight of shared ancestry.
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