India, Portugal sign agreement to enhance maritime transport cooperation

India and Portugal on Friday signed an agreement to enhance cooperation in the field of maritime transport and ports.

The agreement will open avenues for cooperation to promote maritime transport between the two countries for better operation of their merchant fleets, cooperation to harmonize and unify their position with International Organization Institution, forums and conferences related to maritime and port activities.

It will also help both the countries to coordinate accession to international conventions so that the objectives of this agreement can be strengthened.

The agreement was signed during delegation-level talks between New Delhi and Lisbon.

The Indian delegation was headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Portuguese delegation by visiting President Marcelo Rebelo De Sousa at the Hyderabad House in the national capital.

Prior to the talks, the two leaders had witnessed the exchange of agreements between the two countries.

A total of seven Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) have been signed between India and Portugal on the sidelines of Marcelo's visit in the fields of nano-biotechnology, higher education, among other areas, while several other agreements have been exchanged.

Marcelo is on a four-day visit to India, accompanied by Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Prof Augusto Santos Silva, Secretary of State for Internationalisation Prof Eurico Brilhante Dias and Secretary of State for National Defense Jorge Seguro Sanche.