Prime Minister Narendra Modi used his first public engagement during a visit to Trinidad and Tobago to underscore long-standing cultural links between the two countries, telling an audience in Couva that Trinidadian Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is regarded in India as a “daughter of Bihar.” Modi noted that Persad-Bissessar’s ancestors came from Buxar in the eastern Indian state and said the state’s heritage “is a matter of pride for the entire world.” Addressing members of the roughly 600,000-strong Indian-origin community in the Caribbean nation, Modi announced that Overseas Citizen of India cards will now be available to citizens of Indian descent up to the sixth generation, allowing them to live and work in India without visa restrictions. He also encouraged diaspora members to visit their ancestral villages to strengthen personal and commercial ties with India. Modi’s remarks form part of a broader outreach strategy aimed at leveraging historical bonds—many Trinidadians are descendants of 19th-century indentured workers from British India—to expand economic and diplomatic cooperation. The visit follows India’s recent emphasis on engaging the global Indian diaspora and comes as New Delhi seeks deeper partnerships across the Caribbean.