President Pratibha Devisingh Patil on Monday morning left for a week-long visit to Spain and Poland; Minister of State for Industrial Policy and Promotion Ashwani Kumar is accompanying her along with a business delegation.
During her visit, Patil will meet concerned high-profile dignitaries of both the countries, and is likely to sign some bilateral agreements to further boost India's relations with these two European countries.
Greater economic cooperation and fight against terrorism will be the core of discussion between Patil and her counterparts. A discussion on joint terror mechanism might come to the table, considering the last year's deadly terrorist attack in Mumbai.
It is to mention here that though India is a joint working group on terror with European Union, New Delhi doesn’t have any individual agreement with Spain, or UK, France and Germany.
Meanwhile, President Patil will also hold discussion on trade and commerce. A business delegation comprising members of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the Federation of Indian Chambers and Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) will take on the issues of economic cooperation.
Besides, the President is also expected to address the Indian community there. This will be the first-ever State visit by an Indian President to Spain and the fourth such visit to Poland.
In a recent report, the CII had underlined potential areas of development and cooperation between India and Spain, in which it stated that the crucial sectors, which should be concentrated on, include IT, environmental technology, aerospace, automobile, infrastructure, transportation, pharmaceutical, SMEs and textiles.
India and Spain should consider having bilateral investment treaties as a tool to enhance investments, the report said, adding that New Delhi could be a gateway for Spanish enterprises to the South-East Asian region.
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