India-Trinidad pact to help diaspora trace ancestral roots: Jaishankar

11 MAY 2026

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said that an archival cooperation agreement between India and Trinidad and Tobago would help members of the Indian diaspora trace their ancestral roots and reconnect with families, as he underlined New Delhi’s efforts to preserve the legacy of the Girmitya community.
Girmitya refers to Indian indentured labourers transported by the British to colonies in Fiji, South Africa, Mauritius, and the Caribbean between the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Referring to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the National Archives of India and Trinidad and Tobago, Mr. Jaishankar said he hoped the agreement would help many people in the Caribbean nation in “tracing their ancestral roots and reconnecting with their families in India”.
He also noted that the Indian High Commission in Trinidad and Tobago was receiving a growing number of applications for Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards after Mr. Modi announced the extension of OCI eligibility up from 4^th generation to the 6th generation on 20 April, 2026.