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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced last night that sixth-generation people in Trinidad and Tobago will now be eligible to apply for Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI), deepening the bonds between India and its Caribbean diaspora.

“Today I am happy to announce that OCI cards will now be given to the sixth generation of the Indian diaspora in Trinidad and Tobago,” Modi declared to loud applause at the packed Couva Velodrome, where a cultural event was held in his honour.

OCI is a form of permanent residency available to people of Indian origin who have acquired citizenship in another country. It allows them to live, work, and travel freely in India, with some exceptions. Applications can be made at the Indian High Commission in Port of Spain, once documentation tracing ancestry is provided.