Apart from US, PM Modi to visit Netherlands and Portugal

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on 16 June announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Portugal on June 24 and The Netherlands on June 27 to take bilateral economic, trade and other relations with these two countries forward.

MEA official spokesperson Gopal Baglay said, "My first announcement is about the forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to The Netherlands on June 27. This will be a working visit. Prime Minister Modi will hold official talks with the Prime Minister of Portugal- Antonio Costa and is also expected to call on the King of The Netherlands. We are working on several documents to strengthen India-Portugal economic, scientific and cultural engagements and we expect to finalise and sign these documents essentially which are in the nature of memoranda of understanding."

Asserting that India and Portugal enjoy good relations, Baglay said New Delhi has given a new momentum to the relationship when Prime Minister Costa visited India in January.

"As you know, India and Portugal enjoy an environmental relation, the two countries share historic and common cultural ties with a strong people to people connect. The visit of the Prime Minister Costa to India in January 2017, had imparted a new momentum to the relationship. During the forthcoming visit of the Prime Minister Modi to Portugal, we look forward to continue that momentum. We look forward to a useful, productive and successful visit of the Prime Minister Modi to Portugal on June 24," he added.

Sharing more about Prime Minister Modi's visit to The Netherlands, Baglay said that the visit assumes significance as India and The Netherlands are celebrating 70 years of establishment of diplomatic relations this year.

"Prime Minister Modi will be visiting The Netherlands on June 27. The visit assumes significance as India and The Netherlands are celebrating 70 years of establishment of diplomatic relation this year- This will also be a working visit. During his visit, he will also meet the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and will hold official talks there too. Relations between India and The Netherlands are warm and friendly, while economic relations form the core of these relations. The Netherlands is the leading foreign investor in India as a large number of Dutch companies are active in India. Summarily, a significant number of Indian companies are based in The Netherlands, so we look forward to boosting economic corporation and relations, bilateral trade and relations, and also cooperation in other areas too....," Baglay added.

Bagley also spoke about Prime Minister Modi's visit to Washington D C, where he might have an interaction with the Indian community there.

"You already know about the Prime minister's visit to the United States, which we had announced a few days earlier. From Portugal, the Prime minister will travel to the United States, and from there, he would travel to The Netherlands," Baglay said.

It will be Prime Minister Modi's first meeting with President Donald Trump, whose presidency began on January 20 this year.

Describing India as a true friend of the U. S, Trump had invited Prime Minister Modi to visit the country after both leaders had a telephonic conversation in January this year. The two leaders have spoken over phone at least thrice since the latter assumed office.

-ANI