VP Naidu departs for 5-day visit to Baltic nations

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday emplaned for a five-day visit to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia with an aim to strengthen bilateral ties with the three Baltic nations.

Naidu is the first high-level dignitary from India to visit the three countries.

"Embarking on a 5-day tour to 3 Baltic nations, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to strengthen bilateral ties. Happy to be the first high-level dignitary from India to visit the 3 nations. Being bid farewell by representatives of embassies of 3 countries on my departure from Delhi today," Naidu said in a tweet before boarding the plane.

"Looking forward to productive delegation-level talks and fruitful interactions with heads of states, other dignitaries, business forums and the Indian diaspora," said another tweet.

Announcing the visit, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official A Gitesh Sarma had on Wednesday said that India and the Baltic countries have a historic connect and it is generally accepted that both have common linguistic roots notwithstanding the distance.

On his visit to Lithuania from August 17 to August 19, the Vice President will meet the president of Lithuania. An India Lithuania business forum will be coordinated by CII from the Indian side.

Thereafter, Naidu will visit Latvia from August 19 to 20 and will have bilateral meetings with the President, Prime Minister, acting speaker of the Saeima and other dignitaries. He will also unveil a bust of Mahatma Gandhi at the national library in the country.

ASSOCHAM is coordinating India-Latvia Business forum from the Indian side. Here Vice President will lay reet at the freedom monument of Latvia and will unveil a bust of Mahatma Gandhi in the national library of Latvia.

While on his visit to Estonia, Vice President Naidu will address the heads of missions' conference. The India Estonia business forum would be led by CII from the Indian side.

"This is a historic visit in the sense that it is long-awaited and Vice President's visit would be the first-ever high-level visit to the three Baltic countries. This takes place when we are looking forward to increasing our political engagement as well a trade and commerce engagement," the MEA official had said.