The relief was apparent the moment Vajpayee stepped off the Air-India 001 flight. He was welcomed by Vasdeo Pandey, the first Indian Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago in its 37 years of independence, at Piarco airport.

Vajpayee is on an eight-day visit to three nations.

The Trinidad band played him the old Hindi film hit, Suhani raat dhal chuki, na jaane tum kab aaoge, on his arrival. Hindi film songs are as much a part of Trinidad's ethos as back home, with 45 per cent of the country's population being of Indian origin.

In the evening, at a reception hosted by Pandey for Vajpayee, a popular local singer sang, Musafir hoon yaron, na ghar hai na thikana, mujhe chalte jaana hai.

After the cultural evening, which showcased the multi-racial character of the country through the calypso, Indian music and dance, Vajpayeewalked across to where the steel band was playing, swaying his head to the powerful beats. He asked how the locals played on the big oil drum, its top dented in a particular way, to produce the extraordinary beats.

Later in their speeches, both PMs paid tribute to the mutli-racial, multi-religious character of both countries. It appeared that Vajpayee was driving home a point as much to his audience here as in India.

The high point of the cultural evening at the Trinidad PM's residence was another popular singer Relator's rendering of Gavaskar. The number, obviously well-known in the country because the 200 people present there--the cream of Trinidad society--sang the chorus: Gavaskar, the little master, who stood like a wall. The song was a tribute to Sunil Gavaskar and the four centuries he had scored in the series India played here in 1971.

Vajpayee was seen throwing his head back and laughing heartily.

At the various functions during the day, both PMs expressed their satisfaction atthe strengthening of friendly relations between the two countries.

Trinidad and Tobago, located just off the Venezuelan Coast, has grown in importance because of the new discoveries of natural gas, and is expected to become the world's largest producer by the year 2005. It already has 10 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

Pandey also referred to the strategic importance of his country, saying it could become for India an entry point to the Americas. He asked for India's help in the area of informatics and software in which the country is emerging a leader. Both countries signed a convention for the avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income.