Context: Recently, Indian President Smt. Dropadi Murmu visited Portugal - first Presidential tour in nearly three decades. The visit to Portugal is historic, as it coincides with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Portugal. The visit comes amid India’s growing engagement with Europe.
Relevance of the topic:
Prelims: Location of Portugal.
Mains: India’s relations with Portugal.
India-Portugal Ties
1. Historical Connections:
- Relations between India and Portugal date back to over 500 years when the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama led a sea-faring expedition to Calicut (Kozhikode) in Kerala in 1498, making him the first to discover a direct sea route between Europe and India. This enabled Portugal to directly access the highly profitable Indian spice market and emerge as a dominant colonial trading power.
- In 1502 AD, the Portuguese established a trading centre at Kollam (formerly Quilon) in Kerala. They later acquired several other enclaves on the western coast including Diu, Daman, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Goa in 1510. Goa subsequently became the capital of Portuguese activities, which stretched from Malacca (Malaysia) in the east to Mozambique in the west.
- Liberation of Goa (1961): Indian military action under “Operation Vijay” liberated Goa in 1961, ending over 450 years of Portuguese rule.
- India and Portugal finally signed a treaty in 1974 on recognition of India’s sovereignty over Goa, Daman & Diu, Dadra & Nagar Haveli. The treaty came into force in 1975.
2. Political Relations & Cooperation in Multilateral Fora:
- Portugal has consistently supported India’s permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
- The idea of starting an India-EU Summit was mooted for the first time by Portugal in 2000.
3. Economic Relations:
- India-Portugal bilateral trade in FY23 amounted to US $1.2 billion; and is presently valued at $1.5 billion.
- Portugal is the first country in Europe with whom India has signed a Migration and Mobility Agreement (2021). It has paved the way for enhanced cooperation in labour mobility between the two countries.
- India and Portugal have signed an India-Portugal Double Taxation Agreement (DTAA).
4. Other Cooperations:
- MOU on Cultural Cooperation facilitates a large number of cultural performances, youth and literary exchanges, seminars, art exhibitions etc. The Indian origin diaspora in Portugal is estimated to be over 1.25 lakhs.
- India-Portugal Startup Hub (2020) serves as a platform to facilitate collaboration and innovation between startups, investors, and entrepreneurs from both countries.
Location of Portugal
- Portugal is located on the Iberian Peninsula, in South Western Europe.
- Portugal is bordered by Spain in the north and east; and by the Atlantic Ocean in the south and west.
- The small archipelagos of Azores and Madeira are in the south and southwest of Portugal in the Atlantic Ocean. They are autonomous regions of Portugal.
- Portugal shares its maritime borders with Morocco.
- Capital: Lisbon