“There is a growing interest in Portugal about India”

Interviews \ India and Portugal

“There is a growing interest in Portugal about India”

Ever since the Carnation Revolution that restored democracy in Portugal, its ties with India have been on an upswing. Diplomatic relations between the two nations were revived in 1975, paving the way for several high level visits. H.E. Mario Soares visited India both as Prime Minister (1984 for the funeral of Mrs Indira Gandhi) and as President of Portugal (1992 as Chief Guest at the Republic Day). President Anibal Cavaco Silva and Prime Minister Jose Socrates visited India, both in 2007. From the Indian side, President R Venkatraman (1990) and President K R Narayanan (1998) made state visits to Portugal. As Prime Minister, Mr A B Vajpayee attended the India-Portugal Summit in 2000. Several other Parliamentary level and ministerial visits have followed. Now there is a definite buoyancy and momentum in relations that cannot be missed. Ambassador Joao da Camara spoke to Editor and Publisher Sayantan Chakravarty on a range of issues ...

What are the relevant sectors of the Portuguese economy where it is possible for Indians to invest gainfully?

Yes, we have several. Tourism, research and development in pharmaceuticals, are two that come to mind that are booming, and we are getting gainful investments from abroad. We must remember that the Portuguese market compared to that in India, is very small. Having said that, it is important to realize that the scope of Indian investors in Portugal, is not limited to Portugal alone. We are strategically placed at the centre of western and southern Europe. We are a part of EU. We are in a strategic position in relation to movements between North America and Europe, as well as Latin America and Europe. We have strong ties with Africa. In so many ways, we are a gateway to the world.

India shares a cordial and convivial relationship with Brazil, a country with historical ties with Portugal. Does that rub off on India-Portuguese relations as well?

We have a saying in Portugal that a friend of a friend is a friend of mine. Yes, we have a very good relation with Brazil, a historical one, and we’ve managed to form a relation for the future. It is exactly what we’d like to do with India. As I said, we are strategically located in relations to movements between Latin America and Europe, so we could be a gateway for Brazil. India and Brazil are large economies, and because Portugal has had historical ties with both, maybe we could have some part to play in further strengthening those economic ties in coming years.

Is there an interest among Indian tour operators to market Portugal as a charming tourist destination in Europe?

I must admit, it is still not the case. Portugal is still not promoted like other European countries, the way we’d like, especially neighbouring ones. We are working on that. One of our objectives here in India is to attract more tourists to Portugal. There is a lot of curiosity about Portugal in India, and those who travel to Europe want to know more about the country from us. I am sure that in the near future more Indians will be travelling to Portugal, and they will not be disappointed by what they see.