Droupadi Murmu, the President of India, made a four-day state visit to Portugal and Slovakia from April 7 to 10, 2025, aimed at strengthening bilateral relations with both nations.
- President Droupadi Murmu‘s visit to Portugal marked the first state visit by an Indian President to Portugal in 27 years. The last state visit to Portugal took place when Kocheril Raman Narayanan, the 10th President of India (1997-2002), visited Portugal in 1998.
- Her visit to Slovakia marked the first-ever visit by an Indian President to Slovakia in 29 years and the 2nd Indian President to visit Slovakia. Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma was the first President of India to visit Slovakia in 1996.
Key Highlights of Portugal Visit:
President Droupadi Murmu first visited Portugal from 7- 8 April 2025 at the invitation of Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the President of Portugal.
- The visit to Portugal aims to strengthen the dynamic and multifaceted partnership between India and Portugal, commemorating 50 years of diplomatic ties.
- During the visit to Portugal, Murmu met the President of Portugal, Luis Montenegro, the Prime Minister (PM) of Portugal, and José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, the President of Assembleia Da Republica (Portuguese Parliament).
Outcome of Portugal Visit:
i.President Droupadi Murmu received a ceremonial welcome with a Guard of Honour from the President of Portugal at Praca do Imperio in Lisbon, Portugal.
ii.She visited the Church of Santa Maria and laid a wreath at the tomb of Luis Vaz de Camoes, Portugal’s national poet.
iii.She also toured the historic Monastery of Jerónimos, a masterpiece of 16th-century architecture in Portugal.
- The Jerónimos Monastery is a National Monument and was classified as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site in 1983.
iv.Both Presidents launched postage stamps celebrating 50 years of diplomatic ties between the 2 nations.
- The stamps showcased traditional folk attire from India (Rajasthan’s distinctive Kalbeliya costume) and Portugal (traditional Viana do Castelo dress).
v.President Droupadi Murmu signed the Book of Honour, marking a gesture of respect and strengthening diplomatic ties between the two nations.
vi.She was honoured with the ‘City Key of Honour’ of Lisbon City by Carlos Moedas, the Mayor of Lisbon, making her an honorary citizen of Lisbon.
Multilateral Cooperation:
i.India and Portugal agreed to enhance cooperation in the United Nations (UN) and other multilateral forums.
ii.Global and regional issues, along with trade, science and technology, renewable energy, and digital innovation, were key areas of discussion.
iii.India-Portugal trade stands at USD 1.5 billion, with a 50% rise over the last 5 years.
Note: Indian citizens represent the 4th largest community in Portugal. The Indian diaspora in Portugal numbers around 1.25 lakh.
Key Highlights of Slovakia Visit:
Following the visit to Portugal ,President Droupadi Murmu visited Slovakia from April 9-10, 2025 at the invitation of Peter Pellegrini, the President of Slovakia. The visit to Slovakia reflects India’s commitment to deepening bilateral relations with the Slovak Republic.
- She was accompanied by Minister of State (MoS) Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (MoCAF&PD), and Members of Parliament (MPs) Dhaval Laxmanbhai Patel and Sandhya Ray.
- During her visit to Slovakia, Murmu held meetings with the President of Slovakia, Robert Fico, the PM of Slovakia, and Richard Rasi, the Speaker of the National Council.
Outcome of the Visit:
i.President Droupadi Murmu was accorded a ceremonial welcome by the Guard of Honour, and she invited Slovakia to participate in the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai, Maharashtra, from 1–4 May 2025.
ii.She also visited the manufacturing plant of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Motors Limited in Nitra, the city of Nitra.
iii.The President visited an exhibition featuring paintings by Slovak children.
- The Slovak Indian Friendship Society, in collaboration with the Indian Embassy, has been organising the painting competition ‘Beauty Hidden in Fairy Tales – India through the Eyes of Slovak Children‘ since 2015.
iv.She was presented a copy of the first-ever Slovak translation of ancient Indian texts, the Upanishads, by the Slovak President.
- VEDA, the publishing house of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS), published the first translation of ancient Indian texts – Upanishads – from Sanskrit to Slovak. The author of the translation is Róbert Gáfrik.
v.Both Presidents jointly planted a Linden tree, the national tree of Slovakia, at the City Park on Sihoť, Nitra.
Honorary Recognition:
i.The Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Slovakia, awarded an Honoris Causa Doctorate (Honorary Doctorate, Dr. h. c.) to Droupadi Murmu, President of India.
ii.The honorary title Doctorate Honoris Causa is conferred by the University’s Scientific Council to individuals with exceptional global contributions in education, science, culture, etc.
Slovakia-India Business Forum:
i.Murmu addressed the Slovakia-India Business Forum, hosted by the Slovak Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (MFEA) in Bratislava, and invited Slovak businesses to collaborate through initiatives such as Make In India (MII).
ii.The Forum was organised by the Slovak Agency for Investment and Trade Development (SARIO) and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
iii.Trade between India and Slovakia crossed 1.2 billion euros in 2024, yet it remains below potential.
Agreements Signed During Slovakia Visit:
During the visit, India and Slovakia signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to enhance cooperation in key areas of mutual interest.
I.MoU between the New Delhi (Delhi)-based National Small Industries Corporation Limited(NSIC) and the Slovak Business Agency (SBA).
Note: NSIC is an ISO 9001:2015 certified GoI Enterprise under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME).
i.Purpose: The MoU was signed to expand cooperation between the MSMEs of India and Slovakia at the Presidential Palace, Bratislava.
ii.Signatories: The MoU was signed and exchanged by Dr. Subhransu Sekhar Acharya, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD), NSIC, with Mr. Marian Letovanec, Director of the National and International Programmes Section, SBA of Slovakia, in the presence of Ms. Apoorva Srivastava, Ambassador of India to Slovakia, and the Presidents of both the nations.
II.The other MoU was signed between the New Delhi (Delhi)-based Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service (SSIFS) under the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Slovak Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (MFEA), focusing on bilateral cooperation in diplomatic training and exchanges.
Point to Note:
- In 2017, the first satellite produced by Slovakia, named skCUBE, was launched on an Indian rocket, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
- India, as the 5th largest economy in the world, represents a massive opportunity for Slovakia, as a leading manufacturer in engineering and automobile production.
About Portugal:
Capital– Lisbon
Prime Minister (PM)- Luis Montenegro
Currency– the Euro
About Slovakia:
Capital– Bratislava
Prime Minister (PM)- Robert Fico
Currency– the Euro
