By IANS,
New Delhi : With the India-US civil nuclear deal on course, India will seek Portugal’s support in the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) when External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee meets his Portuguese counterpart Luís Amado Monday.
Mukherjee will discuss a host of bilateral and global issues like intensification of business ties and the nuclear deal with the visiting Portuguese minister.
With the government determined to push the nuclear deal through, Mukherjee will also seek Portugal’s support in the NSG. Like many member countries of the European Union (EU), Portugal had said last year that it will take a stand only after India concludes its safeguards pact with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
As the NSG operates by consensus, every country’s stand on the India-US nuclear deal counts.
With alternative political arrangement in place in case the Left pulls out its support to the ruling coalition, the Indian government is likely to approach the IAEA board for ratification of the safeguards agreement this week.
Amado, who begins his three-day visit to India Monday, is being accompanied by a delegation of top businessmen with diverse interests ranging from banking to infrastructure. The thrust of Amado’s visit is on promoting greater trade and investment with one of Asia’s fastest growing economies.
Amado will address the opening session of the Indo-Portuguese Business Meeting Monday afternoon where he is expected to make a strong pitch for scaling up trade and investment between the two countries. The business meeting will be organised in cooperation with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
Amado heads to Goa, a former Portuguese colony, Tuesday to renew cultural and historical bonds between the two countries. He will meet Goa Chief Minister Digamber Kamat and local businessman. Amado will return to Portugal via Mumbai Wednesday.