India and Portugal signed 14 agreements to boost cooperation in a range of areas including defence, investment, transport, ports, culture and industrial and intellectual property rights and yoga.
The agreements were signed after extensive talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa in New Delhi today. Ministry of External Affairs Spokesman Raveesh Kumar said, Mr Modi and Mr de Sousa had excellent discussions covering the broad canvas of India-Portugal partnership by leveraging the complementary strengths across sectors.
Mr Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa arrived in New Delhi last night on a four-day visit. It is his first visit to India.
The visiting dignitary was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan today morning. He also visited Rajghat and paid tributes to Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi.
The President of Portugal is accompanied by Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Professor Augusto Santos Silva, Secretary of State for Internationalization Professor Eurico Brilhante Dias and Secretary of State for National Defence Jorge Seguro Sanches.
President Ram Nath Kovind also met the visiting President later in the evening and hosted a banquet in his honour.
In his statement, President Ram Nath Kovind said that the economic ties between India and Portugal are on the rise and bilateral trade has crossed a billion dollars. He said, two-way investments between the two countries are also rising. He said, India looks forward to Portugal joining the International Solar Alliance in the near future. Mr Kovind thanked Portugal for its steadfast in fighting terrorism.
Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said that he is deeply touched with the very warm reception by Mr Kovind and felt that we live in a new era, in a long-lasting friendship, that is facing the future.
Mr de Sousa will also travel to Maharashtra and Goa during his visit.
