Pratibha Patil left on a week-long trip to Spain and Poland during which some bilateral agreements will be signed and steps taken to cement ties with the two countries.
President Pratibha Patil on Monday left on a week-long trip to Spain and Poland during which some bilateral agreements will be signed and steps taken to cement ties with the two countries.
Before leaving for Spain, minister of state for Industrial Policy and Promotion Ashwani Kumar, who is accompanying the president, said Europe and India could forge closer ties in the civil nuclear field.
"With India emerging as a civil nuclear power, it is important to have closer ties between India and Europe," he said on board the aircraft.
Kumar said "discussions on economic issues are going to be a major part of the visit."
This will be the first-ever State visit by an Indian president to Spain and the fourth such visit to Poland. The president is also accompanied by a business delegation comprising members of CII, FICCI and ASSOCHAM.
Economic issues and fight against terrorism are expected to dominate the discussions between Patil and her counterparts in those countries, specially with Spain being a victim of terrorism.
Spain is India's sixth largest export market in the European Union, and officials said there was a great potential for expanding trade and investment links between India and
the European Union.
Besides meeting business delegations in Spain and Poland, the president will also address the Indian community members there. Underlining the importance of both the countries, which are instrumental in helping India to further strengthen the growing partnership with the EU, the officials said Spain will hold the EU Presidency next year at the time when India will hold the Troika meeting at the ministerial level.
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