It is instructive to note how India is engaging high dignitaries like President of India in enhancing its global profile abroad. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi steers the ship of India’s diplomacy in tandem with India’s no-nonsense Foreign Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and his deputies, Constitutional dignitaries like the President of India, the Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankar and the Speaker of Lok Sabha Om Birla and Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Shri Harivansh have been playing a very significant role in promoting ties and friendship with various countries in their own inimitable ways. At a time when India is bidding for the membership of UNSC, India needs to reach out to countries canvassing their support. Certain pattern is discernable in India’s global diplomacy conducted by high political dignitaries. In accordance with his policy of neighbourhood first’, Prime Minister Modi prioritises outreach to the neighbouring countries and countries in India’s extended neighbourhood and the two major countries-USA and Russia. It is through perseverance and proactive policy that India is regaining significant diplomatic space from the Chinese influence in India’s neighbourhood and in the Indian Ocean Region in littorals like Maldives and Mauritius.

While Dr S Jaishankar engages in difficult dialogue and parleys preparing the pitch for summit meetings, Prime Minister Modi clinches the final outcome at the highest political level. In this exercise of diplomatic outreach, high dignitaries like the President of India, who is the head of the State is not unnecessarily burdened with onerous diplomatic issues commensurate with exalted constitutional position. At the Parliamentary level, the Speaker of Lok Sabha and deputy Chairman Rajya Sabha engage the institutions like the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) to create awareness and explain India’s stance on global issues.

The recent visit of President Smt. Draupadi Murmu to Portugal and Slovakia eloquently demonstrates her diplomatic acumen and sagacity. Though humble and modest, her thoughtful articulation of India’s foreign policy imperatives have renewed India’s traditional friendship and ties with countries which she has visited. She also epitomises in her diplomatic voyages India’s inclusive polity and woman’s empowerment. Having come from a humble background her serene persona also conveys the message that Indian polity provides equal opportunity and a level playing field; and that in order to rise in the social and political ladder one need not be born with a silver spoon in the mouth.

Be that as it may, Honourable President’s two-day visit on 7-8th of this month to Portugal took place coinciding with the 50th year of establishment of the diplomatic relations between the two countries this year. The visit thus commemorates the historic ties between India and Portugal. Relationship between India Portugal can be traced back to over 500 years when the Portuguese explorer Vasco-da Gama took a sea voyage to Calicut (Kozhikode) in Kerala in 1498, making him the first to discover a direct sea route between Europe and India across the Atlantic Ocean and around the African continent. This enabled Portugal to directly access the lucrative Indian spice market as a leading colonial trading partner. In 1502, Portugal established a trading Centre at Kollam Quilon) in Kerala. They later acquired some other enclaves on the Western Coast of India including Diu, Daman and Dadra Nagar Haveli and Goa in 1510. Goa eventually became the headquarters of Portuguese commercial activities in India. Diplomatic relations were established between the two countries in 1949. Problems, however, cropped up afterwards when Portuguese dictator Antonio Salazar refused to surrender the Portuguese enclaves. Indian military action under Operation Vijay liberated Goa on 19th December 1961 ending 450 years of Portuguese rule. Diplomatic relations were re-established after overthrow of the dictatorship in Portugal in April 1974. India and Portugal signed the treaty on 31st December 1974 on recognition of Indian sovereignty over Goa, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli. The treaty came into force on 3rd June 1975.

Over the years, there the years have been regular exchanges of visits at various levels including at the highest level between the two countries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Portugal in June 2017 in a first standalone visit by any Prime Minister of India. During her recent visit to Portugal, President Smt. Draupadi Murmu met President of Portugal Marcelo Rebelo De Sousa, Prime Minister Mr Luis Montenegro, and President of Portugal Parliament Jose Petro Aguiar. She also received the ‘City key of Honour’ of Lisbon and met the Indian diaspora.

In her second leg of the visit, Hon’ble President visited Slovakia. During her visit to Slovakia, she had a very fruitful meeting with President, the Prime Minister and the chairman of the National Council of Slovakia. She was conferred with the Honoris Causa Doctorate degree in recognition of her distinguished career in public service and governance, advocacy for social justice and contributions towards education, woman’s empowerment, promotion of culture and linguistic diversity. She also met and interacted with the Indian community in Slovakia.

Not being hamstrung by the baggage of acrimony of the colonial past, India and Portugal have leveraged the historical relationship and have moved ahead and strengthened their bilateral relationship to their mutual advantage. Unless India’s relationships with its friendly countries are rekindled periodically, it would be difficult to leverage the historical ties between the two countries and to put them in place for strategic purposes. The President being the head of the state, her recent visits to both Portugal and Slovakia underline the significance India accords to developing mutually beneficial relationships with these nations.

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