Mr. Jaishankar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi attached high importance to creating a database of the Girmitya community and conducting research on its legacy.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said 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.

Addressing a gathering at the historic Nelson Island on Saturday (May 9, 2026), Mr. Jaishankar recalled the arrival of the first Indian indentured labourers in Trinidad and Tobago 180 years ago. He paid tribute to their “fortitude, determination and resolve” in building new lives under difficult circumstances.

He said the immigrants had carried with them their traditions, faith and way of life, adding that it was fitting for such history to be preserved as a heritage site.

Mr. Jaishankar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi attached high importance to creating a database of the Girmitya community and conducting research on its legacy.

He said India was working towards establishing a dedicated Girmitya Studies Centre on Modi’s directions.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)