Indo-Portuguese bilateral relations

Indo-Portuguese bilateral relations are close and friendly and free of any irritants. Diplomatic relations between India and Portugal were established in 1949. However, following certain problems with the Salazar regime on negotiations over Goa, we closed our Embassy in Lisbon on June 11, 1953. The Portuguese Embassy in Delhi was closed in August 1955. All diplomatic and consular links were finally severed on September 1, 1955.

Following the revolution of April 25, 1974 overthrowing the dictatorship and the ushering-in of a democratic process in Portugal, the diplomatic relations between India and Portugal were re-established. A Treaty to this effect was signed in New Delhi on December 31, 1974. The Embassies of the two countries were re-opened – the Indian Embassy in Lisbon in June, 1975, and the Portuguese Embassy in New Delhi in July 1975.

Owing to a prolonged period of active political and economic instability in Portugal immediately following the revolution, the Indo-Portuguese bilateral interaction remained at a low ebb. Nevertheless, a bilateral Agreement on Trade, Economic, Industrial and Technical Cooperation was signed in 1977. A Joint Committee established under this Agreement had its first and only meeting in November 1981.

A Cultural Agreement was signed in 1980, under which several Cultural Exchange Programmes have been drawn up and implemented. The last Cultural Exchange Programme (2005-2007) was finalised in Lisbon during April 2005.
A Bilateral Air Services Agreement was signed during the visit of Foreign Minister Jaime Gama to India in February 1997.

Agreements providing for co-operation have been signed and are in operation between the FICCI/CII and their Portuguese counterpart ICEP/AIP. The JBC with FICCI held meetings in May 1993 (Lisbon), April 1995 (New Delhi) and in May 1997 (Lisbon). A Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement was signed between India and Portugal on September 11, 1998, during the State Visit of President Shri K.R. Narayanan to Portugal.
Ministers of Science & Technology of both countries signed the first ever Scientific & Technological Cooperation Protocol during the visit of Portuguese Minister for Science & Technology, Prof. Jose Mariano Gago, to New Delhi in December 1998. This was followed up by two Protocols signed at Lisbon by the Ministers for Science and Technology of India and Portugal. The first provided for co-operation in S&T and was essentially spelt out a working arrangement for undertaking joint research projects in identified areas of mutual interest. The second was a MOU providing for co-operation in the specific area of Ocean Science & Technology.
Two more agreements, viz. Bilateral Investment, Protection and Promotion Agreement and economic and Industrial Co-operation Agreement were signed at Lisbon in March 2000.

There have been some exchange of high level political visits between the two countries as given in the enclosed statement. Dr. Mario Soares, the then Foreign Minister, visited India in December 1974 to sign the Indo-Portuguese Treaty. Foreign Minister Andre Goncalves Pereira visited India in November 1981. From the Indian side, Education Minister B. Shankaranand visited Lisbon in April 1980 to sign the Indo-Portuguese Cultural Agreement. Foreign Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao visited Portugal in April 1984, to attend the Conference on ‘North-South: Europe’s Role’ followed by a bilateral official visit. Prime Minister Mario Soares led the Portuguese delegation to attend the funeral of Mrs. Indira Gandhi in October 1984.

Other important visits from India were those of the Home Minister S.B. Chavan in March 1986, to attend the inauguration of the Presidency of Dr. Mario Soares, and MOS for Parliamentary Affairs M.M. Jacob in March 1989. Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao, in his capacity as a Congress leader, again visited Portugal in 1990 at the invitation of the ruling PSD Party to attend the Lisbon Meeting organised by the International Academy of Development and Freedom. Other most important visits were those of President R. Venkataraman in March/April 1990, and the return visit of the Portuguese President Dr. Mario Soares as the Chief Guest at the Republic Day celebrations in January 1992. Following President Venkataraman’s visit, an agreement was reached on the return to India of the gold ornaments taken away by the Banco Nacional Ultramarino in 1961. The ornaments were handed over to the Indian side during the visit of MOS (EA) Eduardo Faleiro in July 1991. Prime Minister Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao made a one-day transit visit to Lisbon on June 15, 1992, on his way from the Rio Earth Summit.

The most recent visits were those of President Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma who made a transit halt at Lisbon on May 27-29, 1995, and Prime Minister Narasimha Rao’s transit through Lisbon on October 16, 1995. Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherji’s official visit to Portugal (July 13-15,1995), contributed significantly to the strengthening of the bilateral ties. The official visit of Chief Minister of Goa Pratap Singh Rane in November 1995 was also significant. In recognition of the growing bilateral relations, Government deputed Minister of Information & Broadcasting P.A. Sangma to attend the investiture ceremony of President Jorge Sampaio on March 9, 1996. Portuguese Foreign Minister Jaime Gama visited India at the invitation of EAM from February 6-10, 1997.

The process of bilateral consultations at the Foreign Office level, begun in October1994 at our initiative, was followed through by the Portuguese Foreign Office in April 1995, and formalised during the official visit of Foreign Minister
Pranab Mukherji in July 1995, by signing a Protocol on Foreign Office Level Consultations.
The Minister for State for Tourism, Shri Omak Apang, represented India at the Inter-Ministerial Conference of World Tourism Organisation held during 3-4 June 1998. The Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Smt. Menaka Gandhi, represented the Government of India at the Lisbon World Expo-98 in July 1998, in which India also participated.

A Portuguese Parliamentary delegation led by the President of the Portuguese National Assembly, Dr. Antonio de Almeida Santos, visited India from 15-22 December 1998. Dr. Fernando Pacheco, Portuguese Secretary of State (Industry & Energy), visited India during 6-9 January, 1999, along with a business delegation. He participated in a Seminar organised by CII in Jaipur. The members of business delegations have identified areas for joint ventures and negotiations are in progress.


Visits from India recently

• Murlimanohar Joshi visited Portugal on Kuly 3, 2001 (two protocols providing for a programme of cooperation and joint research projects in Science and Technology and Ocean Science were signed)
• Manohar Joshi, Hon'ble Speaker, Lok Sabha visited Portugal, May 25-28, 2003 (celebration of Indian Parliament)
• K. Prathibha Bharathi, Hon'ble Speaker, AP Legislative Assembly, Oct. 14-17, 2003 (On a post-conference study tour)
• T. N. Haokip, Hon'ble Speaker, Manipur Legislative Assembly, Sept. 17-19, 2004 (On a study tour)
• Kumari Selja, Hon'ble MOS(IC) for Urban Employment & Poverty Alleviation visited Portugal, Sept. 17-20, 2004 (to meet Portuguese Minister of Cities)
• Jagdish Tytler, Minister of State for Overseas Indian Affairs, Oct. 01-10, 2004 (to meet with NRIs and publicise Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebrations)

A Portuguese Cultural Centre was opened in New Delhi in February 1991 and subsequently a Cultural Centre in Goa. A Portuguese Consulate General started functioning in Goa since April 18, 1994. The Orient Foundation, a private Portuguese Cultural Organisation, has also been permitted to open a representative office in Goa. This office was inaugurated on April 19, 1995, and will supplement the efforts of the official organisation to promote Indo-Portuguese cultural interaction. The Gulbenkian Foundation, another private cultural institution, also undertakes the promotion of Indo-Portuguese cultural interaction. They have funded the establishment of an archive of Portuguese documents at the Bishop’s House in Cochin. In July 1998, the City of Diu was declared sister city of City of Loures near Lisbon and a twinning ceremony was held in EXPO-98 where Mayor of Diu and Mayor of Loures exchanged documents in the presence of several Portuguese Ministers.

Shri Jaswant Singh, External Affairs Minister of India, and Shri Brajesh Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India, visited Portugal during March 31-April 1, 2000, and April 13-14, 2000, respectively. An Agreement on Industrial and Economic Cooperation was signed by EAM and Portuguese Foreign Minister Jaime Gama on 31st March 2000.

The Prime Minister of India Shri A.B. Vajpayee led a high level delegation to Portugal from June 27-29, 2000, to attend the first ever India-EU Summit (June 28, 2000) during the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Shri Jaswant Singh, External Affairs Minister, Shri Yashwant Sinha, Finance Minister, Shri Murasoli Maran, Commerce & Industry Minister and Shri Pramod Mahajan, Minister for Information Technology. An Agreement between India and the EU on Financing of Civil Aviation Sector was signed during the India-EU Summit. Prime Minister Vajpayee thanked PM Guterres for the Portuguese initiative to upgrade India’s relations with the EU through the first ever India-EU Summit which took place during the Portuguese Presidency. Prime Minister also participated in the India-EU Business Summit (June 27, 2000) organised by the Confederation of Indian Industries.

Prime Minister Guterres and Prime Minister Vajpayee met on June 28, 2000, for a Bilateral Summit. PM Guterres reiterated Portugal’s support for India’s bid for a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council. He also confirmed support for India’s proposal for an International Convention against Terrorism. Two Agreements, viz., Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA) between India and Portugal and an Agreement setting up a Joint Working Group on Information Technology were signed during the Prime Minister’s visit.
Indo-Portuguese bilateral relations have remained close and friendly. Portugal has been a consistent supporter of India’s candidatures to the UN and other international organisations. In elections to various UN organisations/agencies, India and Portugal have been supporting each other on a reciprocal basis and commitments have also been given in writing.