Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s five-nation visit beginning July 2, senior officials from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that the Prime Minister will deliver historic addresses to the parliaments of Ghana, Namibia, and Trinidad & Tobago.
During a special briefing on Monday, Dammu Ravi, Secretary (Economic Relations), shared key details of the upcoming visit.
“In Ghana, the visit is taking place after 30 years. The next day, Prime Minister will be addressing the parliament and he also will be interacting with the Indian community there, which is about 15,000 in number,” said Ravi. The visit will feature delegation-level talks focusing on reviewing and expanding bilateral relations.
In Namibia, where the last prime ministerial visit occurred 27 years ago, PM Modi is scheduled to arrive on July 9. “Prime Minister will visit Namibia on 9th July, and this visit is also important. It’s coming after 27 years,” Ravi stated. He added, “There will be delegation-level talks, one-on-one discussions, and he will also address the Parliament. The substance of the relationship is, again, as you know, that India and Namibia have had a very strong relationship for a very long time.”
Providing insights into the Trinidad and Tobago leg of the tour, Neena Malhotra, Secretary (South), noted that PM Modi’s trip marks the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Caribbean nation since 1999. He will be visiting at the invitation of Prime Minister Kamala Prasad Bisessar.
“This marks the first visit by Prime Minister Modi to T&T (Trinidad and Tobago) as Prime Minister, and is the first Bilateral Visit by an Indian Prime Minister to T&T since 1999,” said Malhotra.
Highlighting the deep historical and cultural ties, she added, “The visit comes at an opportune time, as this year, in 2025, the country is commemorating 180 years of the arrival of Indian immigrants to Trinidad and Tobago. This shared history forms the bedrock of our close and enduring people-to-people ties.”
“In a special gesture, PM Modi will also address the joint session of the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago. The visit is expected to strengthen the bilateral partnership across key areas and reaffirm our enduring ties with the Caribbean,” Malhotra said, calling the speech “symbolic of our strong parliamentary traditions as well as democratic values.”
She also revealed a unique detail: “The chair in the parliament, the speaker’s chair in the parliament has been gifted by India, which is again a symbolic reminder of the strong democratic and parliamentary traditions between our two countries.”
As part of this five-nation diplomatic outreach, PM Modi will also participate in the BRICS Summit in Brazil and hold bilateral discussions with leaders of Argentina, making this a significant multi-regional diplomatic engagement aimed at enhancing India’s global partnerships.