President Droupadi Murmu arrived in Vienna on Tuesday as part of her ongoing four-day state visit to Portugal and the Slovak Republic. After wrapping up a significant visit to Portugal, she is now en route to Bratislava for the second leg of her diplomatic tour.
President Murmu will visit the Slovak Republic from April 9 to 10 at the invitation of Slovak President Peter Pellegrini. This marks a historic moment, as it is the first visit by an Indian President to Slovakia in 29 years, underlining India’s commitment to deepening ties with Central Europe.
Earlier, Murmu completed her visit to Portugal, where she was received by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. Her trip marked the first state visit to Portugal by an Indian President since 1998, when President K. R. Narayanan visited the country.
In a statement on social media, the Ministry of External Affairs wrote: “A fruitful State visit to Portugal concludes. President Droupadi Murmu emplanes for the next leg of her tour, Slovak Republic.”
While in Portugal, President Murmu received a ceremonial Guard of Honour at the Portuguese Parliament and was warmly welcomed by Jose Pedro Aguiar-Branco, President of the Assembleia da República. She held meetings with Portuguese lawmakers, signed the official visitors’ book, and reaffirmed the strong bilateral relationship between the two countries.
On April 7, she was awarded the City Key of Honour by the Mayor of Lisbon during a ceremony at City Hall — a symbolic gesture underscoring the strength of Indo-Portuguese ties. She also attended a state banquet hosted by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa at Palacio da Ajuda in Lisbon.
In her remarks, President Murmu highlighted that 2024 marks 50 years of diplomatic relations between India and Portugal. She expressed optimism about the evolving partnership, citing shared values and potential cooperation in areas such as trade, technology, and culture.
As part of the celebrations, both leaders jointly launched commemorative postage stamps marking the golden jubilee of diplomatic ties. President Murmu also paid homage at the Church of Santa Maria, laying a wreath at the tomb of Luis Vaz de Camões, Portugal’s national poet.
Now headed to Slovakia, President Murmu’s visit continues to build momentum in India’s engagement with Europe, focusing on historic connections and future collaboration.
