Port of Spain [Trinidad and Tobago], July 4 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with 'The Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago' (ORTT) on Friday, the highest honour of the nation, during a ceremonial event at the President's House in Port of Spain.
President of Trinidad and Tobago, Christine Kangaloo, presented PM Modi with the award as he becomes the first foreign leader to be honoured with the award. This is the 25th international honour bestowed upon PM Modi by any country.
PM Modi stated he accepted the award on behalf of the 140 crore Indians. "I accept it on behalf of 140 crore Indians," he stated in a post on X.
PM Modi began his first official visit to Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday (local time) with a ceremonial Guard of Honour at Piarco International Airport, where he was received by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar along with 38 ministers and four Members of Parliament of the Caribbean nation.
PM Modi has shared highlights from the special welcome in Port of Spain on the social media platform X. The video shows PM Modi being welcomed by his Trinidad and Tobago counterpart, Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
The people of Trinidad and Tobago greeted PM Modi with enthusiasm, dancing to the beat of drums and showcasing traditional music and performances that reflected a blend of local and Indian culture.
PM Modi also interacted with members of the Indian diaspora who had gathered at Piarco International Airport to welcome him.
While sharing the video on X, PM Modi wrote, "May the friendship between India-Trinidad & Tobago flourish in the times to come! Highlights from a special welcome in Port of Spain."
PM Modi's visit to Trinidad and Tobago is part of a broader five-nation tour taking place from July 2 to July 9. His stop in Trinidad and Tobago, which is the second leg of his tour, is expected to boost bilateral relations, with a focus on areas such as digital finance, renewable energy, health, and information technology.
Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with the national honour of Ghana, Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana, by its President, John Dramani Mahama, in recognition of his "distinguished" statesmanship and influential global leadership, the Ministry of External Affairs said in an official statement.
The Prime Minister's visit to Trinidad and Tobago will be his first visit to the country as Prime Minister and the first bilateral visit at the Prime Ministerial level since 1999.
The Prime Minister will also be visiting Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia as part of his tour. He will be travelling to Brazil during the fourth leg of his visit, from July 5 to July 8, to attend the 17th BRICS Summit 2025, followed by a state visit to the South American country.