India, Portugal agree on 4 million euro fund to boost research

Diaspora Indians ‘real ambassadors’ of India in Portugal: Modi

25/06/2017

Lisbon, Jun 24: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today hailed the contributions of the more than 65,000 Indians in Portugal, saying they were India's "real ambassadors" and have enriched the culture of the country they have made their home.
"Indians have carried their cultural heritage with them and have always been proud of them," Modi said, addressing diaspora Indians in Lisbon.
The prime minister cited the diversity of language and taste in India to point out that Indians can adapt to the culture of the country they live in. "You have effortlessly gelled with the culture of the country you have been," he said and added that they were the "real ambassadors of India" in Portugal.
On relations between India and Portugal, Modi said the country is tied with India in many ways, including through sports. "Who has not heard of Christiano Ronaldo. His name fills every sportsperson in India with energy."
He said Portugal has historical ties with India, but a special one with Gujarat, and went on to narrate the story of Kutch sailor Kanji Malam, who helped the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama discover the sea route from Europe to India in 1497.
Kanji Malam had navigated the Portuguese commander to Calicut from Malindi on east African coast.
He also highlighted the role Portugal played in furthering the message of Yoga, an ancient Indian spiritual discipline. Modi thanked Portugal Prime Minister Antonio Costa for promoting a wellness movement in Portugal through yoga.
Modi talked about his recent meeting with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who also the former Prime Minister of Portugal, in Astana and how they bonded to discuss yoga.
During his address, Modi briefly talked about his government's economic programmes and India's space triumphs, including the launch of 30 satellites at one go yesterday.
With Costa, the first prime minister of Indian origin in Europe, Modi visited the Radha Krishna Temple in Lisbon.
"The temple is the symbol of social conscience in Portugal. People here do not discriminate, and that is the identity of Indians, the diversity of India," Modi said.
Modi is the first Indian prime minister to visit Portugal for a bilateral trip, though Atal Bihari Vajpayee had visited the country but it was for a European Union conference in 2000.
Modi today held talks with his Portuguese counterpart Antonio Costa and discussed ways to further intensify bilateral relations.
Modi, who arrived here on the first leg of his three- nation tour, said his brief visit will further strengthen relations between India and Portugal.
"Advancing bilateral engagements. PM @narendramodi & PM @antoniocostapm discuss ways to further intensify bilateral relations," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay tweeted along with some photographs.
The two sides are expected to sign some agreements.
Departing from protocol, Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva received Prime Minister Modi at the airport earlier in the day.
Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Portugal on a bilateral trip, Baglay said.
Before leaving for Lisbon, Modi had said during his meeting with Costa, the two leaders will build on their recent discussions and review the progress of various joint initiatives and decisions.
Portuguese Prime Minister Costa tweeted this is an excellent opportunity to review the implementation of the accords agreed during his India visit and sign new agreements.
Costa had visited India in January this year.
The highlight of Modi's four-day three-nation visit will be the US leg as Modi will be meeting President Donald Trump for the first time on June 26 in Washington.
From the US, he will travel to the Netherlands.
Modi today presented the Overseas Citizen of India card to his Portuguese counterpart Antonio Costa and described him as the best of the Indian diaspora across the world.
Modi, who is here on a brief visit, today held talks with Costa to discuss ways to further intensify bilateral relations.
Costa, 55, is of Indian-origin and his election in 2015 as Prime Minister has opened avenues for energising bilateral relations between the two nations.
"Prime Minister Costa represents the best of the Indian diaspora across the world," Modi said during a joint address to the media with Costa.
Later during a community reception, Modi presented Costa with the OCI card. Costa during his visit to India in January had been awarded the Pravasi Bhartiya Samman by the President of India.
Modi, during the joint address to the media, also said apart from Costa's Indian connection, football can further connect the people in the two countries.
"Portuguese passion for football runs deep, PM Costa himself is a big fan. This could form another league to further connect our societies," Modi said.

India and Portugal today announced a four million euros joint fund to bolster research in science and technology as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held in-depth talks with his Portuguese counterpart on cooperation in areas like counter-terrorism, space, climate studies and start-ups.
In a joint address to the media after signing 11 bilateral agreements, Modi and Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, who traces his origin to Goa, said the two countries have made substantial progress since Costa visited India in January.
The agreements signed today included cooperation in outer space, double taxation avoidance, nano technology, improving cultural ties, youth and sports, higher education, scientific research, and setting up of a Portugal-India Business Hub and an Indian Chamber of Commerce here.
"The Portuguese economic rebound and strong Indian growth offer excellent opportunities for us to grow together," Modi, the first Indian prime minister in Portugal on a bilateral visit, said.
"We are also determined to deepen our cooperation against terrorism and violent extremism," he said and thanked Lisbon for its "consistent support" for India's bid for permanent membership of the UN Security Council and multilateral export control regimes.
Speaking on collaboration in cutting-edge technology, Modi announced the setting up of a joint science and technology fund of four million euros.
"Our economic ties continue to follow an upward trajectory, and we can do more for the flow of goods, services, capital and human resources," he said, adding that bilateral trade has grown 17 per cent in the past one year.
"We look forward to engaging with Portugal in the Atlantic International Research Centre, both in the Space and Ocean Science fields," Modi said.
These pacts are expected to promote India's ties with Portugal towards the establishment of a unique centre on the Azores Archipelago - the Atlantic International Research Centre, which will act as an innovation hub for trans-atlantic and north-south cooperation. The goal of the Centre is to provide a shared environment to foster new climate, earth, space and marine research.
With respect to space, cooperation is expected to include development and cooperation of next generation nano and micro satellites. On marine sciences, the project would enable India to study the atmospheric and ocean behaviour of the Atlantic and its linkages with weather patterns including the monsoon.
Modi also announced that India will set up of a Chair for Indian Studies at the University of Lisbon and developing a Hindi-Portuguese dictionary.
"I thank Portugal for sharing a digital version of 12,000 documents comprising exchange of letters between Goa and Portugal in the 17th Century.
"Portugal has emerged as one of the most vibrant ecosystems for entrepreneurship... Start-up sphere here is an interesting space for cooperation. It is a great means to generate value and wealth for society," he said.
Modi said Portuguese Prime Minister Costa represents the best of the Indian diaspora across the world. Portugal has a large Indian-origin diaspora with the Indian community in Portugal estimated at 65,000.
He also praised Indian films having a presence in the country. "Indian films are being subtitled in Portuguese and a Hindi-Portuguese dictionary is being developed for our mutual benefit," Modi said.
Costa said India and Portugal "will make a great deal of progress in digital partnerships."
"A lot of work has been done in six months since I visited India. Great strides have been made in partnerships in economy, science and technology," he said.
Relations between India and Portugal began amicably in 1947 after India's independence and diplomatic relations were established in 1949. Bilateral ties however went into decline after 1950 over Portugal's refusal to surrender its enclaves of Goa, Daman Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli on India's west coast.
But with the signing of a treaty in New Delhi in December 1974, bilateral relations were restored.
However, Modi today left for the US for his first meeting with President Donald Trump after concluding his brief visit to Portugal during which the two nations signed 11 agreements.
Modi, who arrived here today, held wide ranging talks with his counterpart Antonio Costa.
He also addressed the Indian community and presented the Overseas Citizen of India card to Costa.
Deviating from protocol, Costa came to see off Modi.
"Concluding a historic visit to Portugal. Deviating from Protocol, PM @antoniocostapm see off PM @narendramodi, a warm goodbye," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Gopal Baglay tweeted.
"PM @narendramodi visit takes #IndiaPortugal bilateral relations to new heights," Baglay said.
In the US, Modi will attend a community reception tomorrow and hold talks with Trump on Monday.
Ahead of his US visit, Modi said he looked forward to the opportunity of having an in-depth exchange of views.
"My USA visit is aimed at deepening ties between our nations. Strong India-USA ties benefit our nations & the world," he had tweeted.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Modi said his two-day visit to Washington was at the invitation of Trump.
Apart from official meetings with Trump and his cabinet colleagues, Modi will be meeting some prominent American CEOs.

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