Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi says his government views the South American country of Guyana as key to its energy security.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Indian diaspora in Guyana on Friday and said, “You can take an Indian out of India, but you cannot take India out of an India.” He said his experience of the tour had reaffirmed it.

Guyana serves as headquarters for the 15-member Caribbean trade bloc known as Caricom, and Modi was expected to meet with regional leaders Wednesday as part of the India-Caricom summit. They last met in 2019.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Guyana, marking the first visit by an Indian leader in more than 50 years to the South American country with diaspora ties.

Visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Thursday his country is interested in oil from Guyana, the small South American nation with the world's highest per capita crude reserves. Guyana, which sits on the northeast coast of South America and borders Venezuela,