President Droupadi Murmu arrived in Lisbon late Sunday night, marking the start of her four-day state visit to Portugal and Slovakia from April 7 to 10. This is the first visit by an Indian President to either nation in more than two decades.
Invited by Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, this visit holds historical significance, coming 27 years after the last state visit by President K.R. Narayanan in 1998. It also coincides with the 50th anniversary of India-Portugal diplomatic relations.
Sharing updates on X, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said,
“These are the first State visits to either country by the President of India in more than 25 years… The visits will further expand India’s multifaceted engagement with two important EU partners.”
Key Highlights of the Portugal Visit:
- Delegation-level talks between President Murmu and President de Sousa
- Banquet dinner hosted in her honour
- Meetings with Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, Parliament Speaker Jose Pedro Aguiar Branco, and Lisbon’s Mayor
- Interaction with the Indian community and Indian researchers in Portugal
Tanmay Lal, MEA Secretary (West), called this a “symbolic and landmark visit”, reaffirming strong India-Portugal ties that have seen regular high-level exchanges in recent years.
Slovakia Up Next
On April 9-10, President Murmu will head to Slovakia, at the invitation of President Peter Pellegrini. This marks the first Indian presidential visit to Slovakia in 29 years, commemorating 30 years since the Indian embassy opened in Bratislava in 1995.
These visits aim to strengthen India’s strategic and cultural partnerships with European Union countries and foster deeper cooperation in various fields, including education, research, and people-to-people ties.
