Deepening Delhi-Dilli bonds: PM Modi, President Ramos-Horta of Timor-Leste hold “fruitful meeting”

Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India]: Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a “fruitful meeting” with President Jose Ramos-Horta of Timor-Leste in Gandhinagar on Tuesday.

The encounter, marked by warm exchanges and a shared commitment to collaboration, underscored the deepening bond between “Delhi and Dili!”

Office of the Prime Minister of India took to X to share insights into the discussions, stating, “Deepening the bond between Delhi and Dili! PM @narendramodi and President @JoseRamosHorta1 of Timor-Leste had a fruitful meeting in Gandhinagar. Bilateral cooperation in a range of areas, including development partnerships in energy, IT, FinTech, health and capacity building, was discussed.”

The focal points of the meeting spanned a wide array of sectors. Development partnerships took centre stage, with both leaders expressing a mutual interest in fostering growth and progress in key areas. Notably, discussions revolved around energy, IT, FinTech, health, and capacity building, showcasing a commitment to shared advancements in these domains.

PM Modi noted that his meeting with Jose Ramos-Horta in Mahatma Mandir was even more special considering Mahatma Gandhi’s influence on Horta’s life and work.

Taking to X, PM Modi stated, “Had an excellent meeting with President @JoseRamosHorta1 of Timor-Leste. The fact that our meeting is taking place in Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar, makes this meeting even more special considering Gandhi Ji’s influence on President Horta’s life and work. We discussed ways to further bilateral and cultural ties between our nations.”

During the meeting, PM Modi congratulated Jose Ramos-Horta for Timor-Leste’s upcoming membership of ASEAN, Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement. He invited Timor-Leste to join the International Solar Alliance and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.

In a post shared on X, Randhir Jaiswal stated, “Furthering the Delhi-Dili connect! PM @narendramodi held a productive meeting with President @JoseRamosHorta1 of Timor-Leste in Gandhinagar. Discussions covered bilateral cooperation in various fields including development partnership in health, traditional medicine, energy, IT, fintech, capacity building among others.”

“PM congratulated President Horta for Timor-Leste’s upcoming membership of ASEAN. PM invited Timor-Leste to join International Solar Alliance and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure,” he added.
External Affairs S Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra were also present during the meeting.

Timor-Leste President had arrived in Gujarat on Monday to attend the 10th Vibrant Gujarat Summit. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel welcomed him at the airport.

Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal noted that it is the first Head of State level visit between India and Timor-Leste. Notably, India was one of the early countries to establish diplomatic relations with Timor-Leste.

In a post shared on X, Randhir Jaiswal stated, “President @JoseRamosHorta1 of Timor-Leste welcomed by CM @Bhupendrapbjp of Gujarat as he arrives in Ahmedabad for the 10th @VibrantGujarat Summit. This is the first Head of State level visit between the two countries, marking a significant milestone in bilateral partnership.”

India and Timor-Leste established diplomatic relations in January 2003 and at the ASEAN-India Summit in Jakarta on September 7, 2023, Prime Minister announced a decision to establish an Indian Embassy in Dili the capital of Timor-Leste. The decision is a reflection of the importance India attaches to ASEAN, and its relations with Timor Leste.

The Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit was started in 2003 under the leadership of Modi when he was the state chief minister. This 10th Edition of the Summit will celebrate “20 Years of Vibrant Gujarat as the Summit of Success”. There are 34 Partner countries and 16 Partner organisations for this year’s Summit.