Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will visit Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia from August 17-21. Naidu will be accompanied by a high-level delegation including Sanjay Shamrao Dhotre, Minister of State for HRD, Communications and Electronics & Information Technology, Ranee Narah, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, Manas Ranjan Bhunia, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, Ramesh Bidhuri, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha and senior government officers, the release said.
India and Baltic countries have historical connect and common linguistic roots. The cutting edge technology and innovation ecosystems of the Baltic countries complement India’s huge market and appetite for these technologies. Vice President Naidu’s visit will be the first ever high-level visit to the three Baltic countries. The visit takes place in the context of increasing political engagement, as well as intensified trade and commercial engagement.
Naidu will visit Lithuania from August 17-19, during which he will have a detailed bilateral meeting with President of Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda and will meet Viktoras Pranckietis, Speaker of the Seimas (Lithuanian Parliament). He will also interact with Indian community and address the India-Lithuania Business Forum, it said.
India and Lithuania relations are based on mutual trust, understanding and support to each other on issues of core interest.
Thereafter Naidu will visit Latvia from August 19-20 and will have a bilateral meeting with President of Latvia Eglis Levits. He will also meet Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins and Inese Libina-Egnere, the Acting Speaker of the Saeima (Latvian Parliament), it added.
Naidu will also attend the Business Forum co-organized by Latvian Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Indian Chamber ASSOCHAM. The Vice President will lay the wreath at Freedom Monument of Latvia and will unveil the bust of Mahatma Gandhi in National Library of Latvia. He will also interact with the Indian community, it said.
The vice president will visit Estonia from August 20-21, where he will meet President of the Republic of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid, Prime Minister Juri Ratas and the President of the Riigikogu (Estonian Parliament), Henn Polluaas, the statement said.
As a special privilege, Naidu will also address the Estonian Head of Mission’s conference on India’s role in the Indo-Pacific region and address an India-Estonia business forum led by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) from Indian side. He will also meet with members of the Indian community in Estonia, it added.
The visit of Vice President Naidu to the three Baltics countries is to advance India’s outreach to the important countries in the region. This visit will provide an opportunity to brief the Baltic countries and their views on enhanced opportunities for cooperation, thus further strengthening our existing friendly ties.
