MADRID: Visit of Minister of State for External Affairs, Smt. Meenakashi Lekhi to Portugal and Spain

MADRID: Minister
of State for External Affairs (MoS), Smt. Meenakashi Lekhi will pay an official
visit to Portugal and Spain from 12-17 September 2021.

During her visit to Portugal from 12-14 September, MoS will have bilateral
talks with her counterpart Secretary of State for International Affairs and
Cooperation, H.E. Mr. Francisco Andre. She will also meet Foreign Minister
of Portugal, H.E. Mr. Augusto Santos Silva and the Secretary of State for
Internationalization H.E. Mr. Eurico Brilhante Dias in the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs. A bilateral agreement on the recruitment of Indian citizens to work in
Portugal will be signed during the visit.

MoS would also meet the Minister of Culture of Portugal, H.E. Ms. Graça Maria
da Fonseca and the Executive Secretary of the Community of Portuguese Language
Countries (CPLP), H.E. Mr. Zacarias da Costa. India was admitted as an
Associate Observer of CPLP in July 2021 and is committed to deepen its historic
relations with the Lusophone countries. She will also meet members of the
Indian community and attend an event marking the rich cultural heritage of
India as part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.

During her visit to Spain from 15-17 September, MoS will hold discussions with
her counterpart, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, H.E. Ms. Ángeles
Moreno Bau and meet other senior dignitaries in the Spanish government. MoS
will also inaugurate ´The Beatles and India´ exhibition at Casa de la India,
Valladolid and deliver a talk on India’s Development Cooperation at the Spain
India Council Foundation. She will also interact with Indologists and
Indophiles, including ICCR Alumni, and the Indian Community in Spain.

India enjoys warm and friendly relations with both Portugal and Spain. The
visit of MoS, which is the first in-person official engagement with both countries
since the Covid19 pandemic, is expected to provide fresh momentum to bilateral
ties.