External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, on Wednesday said that India views Portugal as a vital partner within the European Union (EU) and expects Portugal's support in the ongoing negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) with the EU.
"Portugal has always been one of our key partners in the European Union. The inaugural India-EU Summit took place in 2000 under the Portuguese presidency, and in 2021, the first-ever India-EU leadership Summit with all 27 EU member states was convened, albeit virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, under the Portuguese presidency. We greatly value Portugal's support in our FTA negotiations with the EU," Jaishankar mentioned during a joint press statement alongside his Portuguese counterpart, Joao Gomes Cravinho.
The ministers also reviewed the implementation of the agreement for the recruitment of Indian citizens to work in Portugal. They have established a standard operating procedure for this and will initiate a pilot project to move it forward. Discussions also encompassed topics such as youth mobility and the mutual recognition of academic qualifications. Furthermore, they agreed to set up a consular dialogue mechanism, with the first meeting potentially taking place in Portugal.
Currently, the External Affairs Minister is on an official visit to Portugal.
"Today, during our meeting, we conducted a comprehensive evaluation of our bilateral partnership. We observe a surge in energy and activities across various sectors, with trade and investment playing a pivotal role. Indian companies, particularly IT firms, have made a significant impact in Portugal. It was also heartening to note that Amul, one of India's premier milk and dairy companies, is the first Indian regional sponsor of the Portuguese National Football team," Jaishankar disclosed during the press briefing.
He went on to say, "We will request our Joint Economic Committee to follow up on our discussions and explore opportunities in health, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, defense cooperation, startups, innovation, and more. We also deliberated on the prospect of establishing direct air connectivity, which is currently lacking in our relationship. We are confident that our interactions will expand once this issue is addressed, and we both attach great importance to the development of tourism, which would benefit from enhanced air connectivity."
In addition to trade and economic ties, Jaishankar and Cravinho discussed cultural cooperation and the collaborative development of the maritime heritage complex in Lothal.
"We explored the possibility of trilateral collaboration in third countries, as both of our nations have a history of engaging in development partnerships, capacity building, education, and healthcare. By pooling our resources and expertise, we can make a more significant and efficient impact," Jaishankar remarked.
During the meeting, Jaishankar planned to brief Cravinho about India's G20 presidency, highlighting progress made on critical global issues such as SDG realization, sustainable development, digital public infrastructure, sustainable lifestyles, food security, and women-led development.
"As Minister Cravinho pointed out, we will also discuss matters related to West Asia, often referred to as the Middle East. Additionally, the conflict in Ukraine and developments in the Indo-Pacific will be on our agenda. We look forward to commemorating the 50th anniversary of the reestablishment of our diplomatic relations in 2025," Jaishankar concluded.
The External Affairs Minister also mentioned his upcoming meeting with Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, highlighting Costa's guidance and encouragement to strengthen the India-Portugal relationship.
(With agency inputs)
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