City Key of Honour Award: The President of India received the ‘City Key of Honour’ from Lisbon, Portugal. It’s Lisbon’s highest honor, recognizing contributions to society and ties with Portugal.
Symbolic Gesture: Acknowledges the strong and friendly relations between India and Portugal.
50th Anniversary: 2025 marks 50 years of India-Portugal diplomatic relations.
Areas of Cooperation: India and Portugal can further cooperate in areas such as technological change, innovation, digital public infrastructure and digital transition.
Historical Ties: The President highlighted the cultural ties between the two nations, reflected in shared architecture, historical sites, languages, and cuisines.
Growing Partnership: Noted the steady growth in cooperation across various fields, including science, technology, defense, IT, startups, research, and education.
Portugal’s Role: Appreciated Portugal’s role in promoting India’s relations with the European Union, referencing the first India-EU Summit held during Portugal’s EU Presidency in 2000.
Knowledge-Based Economy: India views Portugal as a partner in leveraging its strengths as a knowledge-based economy, particularly in science, technology, and digital infrastructure.
Bilateral Trade: The bilateral trade between the two countries stands at USD 1.5 billion, reflecting a 50% increase since 2020.
Diaspora Connection: A significant Indian diaspora of around 1.25 lakh people resides in Portugal.
