PM Narendra Modi will land in Lisbon for the first-ever bilateral visit of an Indian PM to Portugal. It will symbolically mark the beginning of a new era in Indo-Portuguese relations.
Why the visit?
PM’s Lisbon detour is also driven by three strategic factors. These reflect a confident India, focused on reaching new shores by engaging Europe, balancing China, and leveraging the diaspora.
Context of European outreach effort - In order to balance Beijing’s formidable Western offensive.
As one of Beijing’s few strategic partners on the Atlantic, Portugal hosts one of the highest levels of Chinese per capita investments.
Beijing is now seeking to establish a similar framework (like the 16+1 mechanism), for the Mediterranean to link its continental connectivity plans to the Atlantic and Africa.
Modi’s visit to Portugal thus marks a symbolic response to China, as President Xi Jinping has yet failed to make an appearance in Lisbon.
It also seeks greater Indo-European engagement in Africa, in cooperation with “like-minded” states.
The Portugal connection could also be laying the ground for a complementary Indo-Atlantic space that reflects India’s reorientation towards West.
Expanding presence in Africa and Latin America - It could also seek to leverage Lisbon’s influence and expertise in those regions.
The Portuguese-speaking world includes nine states on four continents, including Brazil, Mozambique and Timor-Leste.
This “lusophone” sphere offers significant scope for trilateral alignments, and fits with New Delhi’s emphasis on inclusive partnerships with small states and middle powers in niche sectors.
New Delhi is also considers joining the CPLP, the community of Portuguese-speaking nations, as an associate member.
Diaspora in Portugal - Where one of Europe’s largest communities of Indian origin has taken much pride in seeing Antonio Costa (his father was a Goan) elected as the West’s first leader of Indian-origin Minister.
India can leverage its historical connections and overseas communities as an asset to build bridges and increase influence abroad.
