The Baltic Connection
The Indian Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu embarked on a three-day visit to the Baltic nations of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia from August 17-21 Lithuania
The Indian Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu arrived in Lithuania on August 17 and was extended a very warm welcome. He called upon the Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda and congratulated him for his election. He held extensive discussions with President Nausėda where the two agreed to enhance cooperation in areas of agriculture, food processing, information and financial technology. He later met with the Lithuanian PM Saulius Skvernelis and Viktoras Pranckietis, the speaker of the Seimas (unicameral parliament of Lithuania) to discuss parliamentary proceedings and processes in his capacity as the exofficio chairman of the Rajya Sabha. He also addressed members of the Indian community in Lithuania and urged them to strengthen economic and cultural ties between the two nations.
LATVIA
The Indian VP arrived in Latvia for the second leg of his visit to the Baltic region on August 19. This was the first high-level meeting since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in the early 1990s. He was extended a ceremonial welcome and had meetings with the President of Latvia, Eglis Levits, the Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins and Inese Libina-Egnere, the Acting Speaker of the Saeima(Latvian parliament).
VP Naidu interacted with the members of the Indian community
in Latvia and unveiled a bust of Gandhiji at the National Library of Latvia
ESTONIA
For the third and final leg of his visit, the Indian VP arrived in Estonia on August 20 where he met the Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid and held discussions on regional, multilateral and bilateral issues. Discussions on cooperation on trade, commerce, IT, e-governance, cyber security and education were also amongst the highlights of the VP’s visit. Before the conclusion of his five-day visit to the Baltic nations, he also extended an invitation to Estonia to attend the forthcoming India-Europe 29 Business forum in New Delhi.