Major visits between India and Portugal
April 25, 2024 at 9:03 pm,
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In January 2017, Prime Minister Antonio Costa embarked on a visit to India from January 7 to 12, accompanied by a ministerial and business delegation. Notably, PM Costa holds the distinction of being the first Indian-origin Head of Government in the Western world. During this visit, a total of 8 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed across various sectors including Defence, Agriculture, Marine Research, IT & Electronics, Startups, and Renewable Energy. Additionally, an agreement was reached for the establishment of an ICCR Chair at the University of Lisbon.
A Joint Stamp depicting the cultural dances of both nations was also released to commemorate 500 years of diplomatic relations, and the Portuguese novel "Signo da Ira," set in Goa and authored by PM Costa’s father, was translated into English and unveiled during the visit.
On June 24, 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook a historic visit to Portugal, marking the first standalone bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the country. During this visit, 11 MoUs were signed covering areas such as Space, Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Culture, Youth & Sports, and Higher Education (IITs), among others.
In December 2019, PM Costa visited India once again to participate in a meeting of the Organising Committee overseeing the global commemorations of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi (Bapu@150), convened by PM Modi.
Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, accompanied by three ministers, parliamentarians, and business delegates, visited India from February 13 to 16, 2020. During this visit, 32 MOUs and outcomes were signed, and President Sousa had engagements in Delhi, Mumbai, and Goa.
In September 2021, Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi conducted an official visit to Portugal to review bilateral relations and signed the Bilateral Agreement on the Recruitment of Indian Citizens to Work in Portugal. This agreement marked a significant step in enhancing partnership and cooperation between the two nations on labor mobility.
The year 2022 witnessed several notable visits between India and Portugal, including a visit by the Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs João Gomes Cravinho to participate in the Raisina Dialogues’ panel and a delegation led by Minister of State for Science and Technology and Minister of State for Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh to attend the 2022 UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon.
Additionally, significant interactions took place in 2023, including a visit by Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Ana Fontoura Gouveia to Bengaluru for the India Energy Week and a visit by External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar to Portugal, marking the first official visit by an Indian EAM in over two decades.
Moreover, Ambassador Rui Vinhas, Director-General for Foreign Policy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Portugal, traveled to India to participate in the 4th Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between India and Portugal, held in New Delhi on January 31, 2024.