Indian diaspora of Trinidad, Tobago to get OCI cards: PM

Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards will be given to the sixth generation of the Indian diaspora in Trinidad and Tobago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday as he began a visit to the Caribbean nation where more than 40% people are of Indian origin.

- Rezaul H Laskar

Modi, the first Indian premier to visit the island nation since 2009, pitched for greater economic, security, and technology cooperation between India and Trinidad and Tobago while addressing a gathering of the Indian community along with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the first woman premier of the country.

Trinidad and Tobago is the second destination in Modi's five-nation tour. The diaspora there, descended from immigrants who began arriving in 1845 as indentured labour, maintains strong ties with India. It is the largest concentration of Indian-origin people in the Caribbean.

Modi highlighted the longstanding links between the Indian community and their country of origin and lauded their achievements in Trinidad and Tobago. “Today, I am happy to announce that OCI cards will now be given to the sixth generation of the Indian diaspora in Trinidad and Tobago.