The Prime Minister of Portugal, Antonio Costa was on a seven-day long official visit to India from January 6 to January 12, 2017. Costa who traces roots from Goa was accompanied by several ministers.
- He attended the 14th Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas as the chief guest in Bengaluru on January 8 along with attending the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit on January 10 at Gandhinagar.
India and Portugal Signed 7 MoUs in Various areas to Deepen India-Portugal relations.
India and Portugal signed 7 MoUs on January 7, 2017 in New Delhi to deepen bilateral ties between the two economies.
MoU on Defence Cooperation
- Both the sides inked an MoU in the area of Defence Cooperation. The MoU on defence includes cooperation for security challenges, including in the maritime domain and defence industries.
- Besides, Modi invited Portuguese companies to participate in the ‘Make in India’ initiative and set up joint ventures and commercial partnerships based on joint production and technology transfer for defence cooperation.
MoU to Combat Terrorism
- The two economies also signed an MoU to deal with the issue of terrorism. They called for tough global action against terror networks and States harbouring them stressing that there should not be any double standards in combating terrorism.
- Both the sides discussed the need for the global community to take strong and urgent action against the rapidly growing and widely spreading threats of violence and terror.
Other MoUs
- The other MoUs signed included cooperation in areas of information technology and electronics, agricultural trade including market access for agricultural products, deeper engagement in renewable energy and marine research.
- Both sides also signed MoU to boost start- ups and called for regular exchanges between Start-Up India and Start-Up Portugal to boost business and enterprise and create favourable ecosystems for entrepreneurship.
- Commemorative Stamps: After the exchange of the agreements, PM Modi and PM Costa released commemorative stamps of folk dances from India and Portugal.
- Exchange of Books: PM Modi and visiting PM also exchanged copies of a book written by Costa’s father Orlando Costa, who was partly of Goan descent.
- Modi presented Costa with an English translation of his father’s work while Costa presented him with a first edition copy of the work.
- Cristiano Ronaldo’s Red Jersey: Costa presented PM Modi with Cristiano Ronaldo’s red jersey, with the number “7” and “Ronaldo” emblazoned on it.
India & Portugal to Work out Co-Production Agreement in Film Sector
Recognising the cultural significance of India’s film industry and its growing interest in Portugal, visiting PM agreed to facilitate enhanced collaboration to make Portugal a preferred filming destination for the industry. The agreement would be framed in a time-bound manner keeping in mind the legal aspects.
- The issue of MoU was also discussed at a meeting between minister of state for information & broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore and Portugal minister of culture Luis Filipe Castro Mendes.
- The two leaders agreed for an early Audio-Visual Co-Production Agreement between the two countries to incentivize joint film production and boost cooperation in the vibrant film sector.
- The Portuguese PM also held talks with Indian film industry representatives in Goa on January 12 to promote the country as a shooting destination. The meeting is being organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
- Some of the important aspects discussed at the meeting includes: proposal to provide subsidies to film producers, possibility of an MoU between the public broadcasters of both the countries to share best practices and seek cooperation in technical and content related matters.
PM Costa’s Two Day Visit to Goa
Visiting PM Antonio Costa concluded his visit with a two day trip to Goa from January 11 to January 12, 2017 during which he visited his ancestral house in Margao City in South Goa and attended a host of events in the coastal state.
- He met Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and Governor Mridula Sinha.
- Besides, PM Costa also visited Old Goa Church complex, a UNESCO world heritage site built during the colonial era, and the Mangueshi temple. He met top officials of the National Institute of Oceanography.
- Costa was given a tribute by the Goan Civil Society at Adil Shah Palace. The 55-year-old PM was also presented with an English translation of the book “Sem Flores Nem Coroas” written by his father Orlando Costa.
- Mr. Costa visited the Birla Optical Fibre factory in Verna, South Goa, Latin quarter in Fontainhas and Portuguese cultural organisation, Fundacao Oriente, and inaugurated its Centro de Lingua Portuguesa and visited the Salgaoncar Law College at Miramar.
Portugal
- Capital: Lisbon
- Currency: Euro
