President Patil begins three-nation tour

The President of India, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil is being seen off by the VP, Mohammad Hamid Ansari and the PM, Dr. Manmohan Singh before her departure to Brazil, Mexico and Chile, in New Delhi on April 12, 2008.



Economic Times, 12 Apr, 2008, 1217 hrs IST, IANS

President Pratibha Patil Saturday left on her maiden foreign tour that will take her to Brazil, Mexico and Chile as India seeks to strengthen its diplomatic and business ties with LatinAmerica . The president's visit to Brazil assumes significance as India has entered into a strategic partnership with it. The two countries, which are among the outreach countries that are associated with the G-8, are also working together in IBSA, a trilateral developmental initiative between India, Brazil and South Africa. Patil will meet Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Mexican President Felipe de Jesus Calderon Hinojosa and Chile's President Michelle Bachelet during her 12-day visit. Pointing out that the trade and economic interaction between the Latin Amercian countries and India is growing rapidly despite the impediments in the physical connectivity, Nalin Surie, secretary (West) of the ministry of external affairs, said a number of agreements are expected to be signed during the visit. The Indian cabinet Friday approved the signing of Air Services Agreements (ASA) with Chile and Mexico. According to the agreements, both countries will have the right to designate as many airlines as wish to fly to India, and vice versa. "India also has a preferential trade arrangement with Chile and our trade and economic relations are growing rapidly," Surie told reporters Friday. "The president's visit to Latin America will cover three of our important partners in the region. All three are flourishing democracies, developing countries and countries with which our interaction is growing rapidly," said Surie. Patil, the first woman president of India, begins her official visit to Brazil from Sao Paulo, where she arrives Tuesday. She will also visit Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia. The president will spend four days in Mexico, during which she will visit Mexico City and Guadalajara province. The president, who arrives in Santiago April 20 on a two-day visit, is scheduled to address the students and academicians at the University of Chile. Patil will have a stopover in Lisbon on her way to Brazil and halt in Cape Town while returning to India April 23. Non-Conventional Energy Minister Vilasrao Muttemwar is accompanying President Patil on her tour. Surie pointed out that India's trade and economic ties with the three countries were growing rapidly despite impediments in accessibility. Currently, India's trade with Brazil stands at $3.2 billion, with Mexico it is $2 billion and with Chile $2.4 billion. New Delhi has a trade target of $10 billion with Brazil by 2010 and of $5 billion with Mexico.

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"Brazilian President Lula has expressed happiness that India's first woman president has chosen his country for her first visit abroad. According to Lula, the visit 'reflected the desire of the two countries to continue their dialogue at the highest political level with the objective of consolidating and diversifying their strategic partnership.''

India PRwire/Indo Asian News Service, New Delhi, Delhi, India, 2008-04-08 20:45:02

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India e News.com, Friday, April 11, 2008

'The fact that the president has chosen to pay her first state visit to Latin America reflects the importance that India attaches to further strengthening its partnerships with countries of that dynamic continent,'' Secretary (West) Ministry of External Affairs Nalin Surie told reporters.

President Pratibha Patil embarks on her maiden foreign tour as head of state Saturday by visiting the Latin American countries Brazil, Mexico and Chile. She will be accompanied by a large business delegation.
Patil will meet Brazilian President Lula da Silva, Mexican President Felipe de Jesus Calderon Hinojosa and Chilean President Michelle Bachelet during her 12-day visit. It will be Patil's first foreign visit since she assumed office in July last year.
Pointing out that the trade and economic interaction between the Latin American countries and India was growing rapidly despite the impediments in physical connectivity, Surie said a number of agreements were expected to be signed during the visit.
The union cabinet Friday approved the signing of Air Services Agreements (ASA) with Chile and Mexico. Both sides will have the right to operate as many flights as they wish in the other's country, the each agreement says.
Patil, the first woman president of India, begins her official visit to Brazil from Sao Paulo, where she arrives Tuesday. She will also visit Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia.
The president will spend four days in Mexico, during which she will visit Mexico City and Guadalajara province.
The president, who arrives in Santiago April 20 for a two-day visit, is scheduled to address the students and academicians at the University of Chile. Patil will have a stopover in Lisbon on her way to Brazil and halt in Cape Town while returning to India April 23.