PM Modi meets Indian diaspora at Guyana

Georgetown: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday praised the Indian diaspora members -- many of them migrated more than 180 years ago -- in Guyana saying he was glad to see the members making a mark across different sectors.

Modi's visit is the first visit by an Indian head of the state in more than 50 years. He arrived here in the wee hours after a late Tuesday departure from Brazil and interacted with the Indian diaspora members at the hotel.

There are around 3,20,000 people of Indian origin in Guyana, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), which described it as “one of the oldest Indian diasporas, which migrated more than 185 years ago.” Apart from the people of Indian origin, there are about 2,000 Indian nationals, mainly restricted to members of the Indian Mission, Indian Cultural Centre of the Mission, staff of Bank of Baroda and other international agencies, doctors, nurses, students of private medical institutions and workers employed by local companies, hospitals and University of Guyana, according to the High Commission of India.

“A heartfelt thank you to the Indian community in Guyana for their warm and spirited welcome. They have shown that distance is never a barrier to staying connected to one’s roots. Glad to see the community making a mark here across different sectors,” Modi posted on X along with some photos from the interaction.

“Prime Minister received a rousing and colorful welcome from the Indian community and the Indo-Guyanese diaspora in the presence of several Cabinet Ministers of Guyana,” the MEA said in a statement.

The community members were dressed in their traditional bests and many of them were seen carrying the Indian tri-colour in their hands. Modi was also presented a sketch made by a member amid loud chanting of slogans.

Earlier, in an unprecedented gesture, Modi was received at the airport by Guyana President Irfan Ali, his counterpart Mark Anthony Phillips and over a dozen cabinet ministers while at the hotel, they were joined by the Prime Ministers of Grenada Dickon Mitchell and Barbados Mia Amor Mottley too.

Modi was also handed over the ‘Key to the City of Georgetown’ as a testament to the close India-Guyana ties, officials said.

The prime minister is on the last leg of his three-nation visit after attending the G20 Summit in Brazil and visiting Nigeria. Modi, who is visiting Guyana at the invitation of President Ali, will remain in the country till Thursday.