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India, Trinidad and Tobago agree to lift double taxation, boost bilateral trade

J Sesha Sai in Port of Spain

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said an agreement for avoidance of double taxation would be signed today by India and Trinidad and Tobago.

Announcing this on arrival at the Piarco International Airport in Port of Spain, Vajpayee said the agreement would provide impetus for mutual flow of investments, technology and services between the countries.

He said his visit -- coming 31 years after then prime minister Indira Gandhi visited the Caribbean country -- would strengthen India's special ties with Trinidad and Tobago, which has a large Indian population. The first group of Indians arrived in Trinidad 150 years ago as indentured labourers.

He said India was committed to share its expertise in the development of Trinidad and Tobago's small-scale industries. The working plan for co-operation in agricultural research offers technology transfers in water management, aqua-culture, cereal production, etc.

Praising the Indians in Trinidad and Tobago for blending themselves very well in their milieu, Vajpayee said T and T prime minister Basdeo Panday was a shining example of this cultural integration. Panday is the first T & T prime minister of Indian origin.

Making this observation at the lunch hosted in his honour by Panday, Vajpayee said the considerable geographical distance that separates India and T & T is more than bridged by co-operation, friendship, trust and understanding.

Earlier, laying the foundation stone of the Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Cultural Co-operation, he said, "At no time in history was the world so interdependent as it is today. Gandhiji had foreseen this. Which is why he was emphatic about the need for co-operation among nations for the promotion of peace and harmony in the world.''

Vajpayee said the Indian Cultural Centre was rightly named after the Mahatma. He also praised Panday for going out of his way to give government land of five acres for the project.

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