Indian President visits East Timor « Government of East Timor

Indian President Drupadi Murmu will pay an official visit to Timor-Leste tomorrow, August 10, 2024. This is the first visit by an Indian head of state to the country.

During his stay, President Murmu will receive an official reception promoted by the President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta, at the Nicolás Lobato Presidential Palace, followed by a bilateral meeting between the two heads of state.

The Indian President will then proceed to the Government Palace where he will meet Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao in the presence of several members of the 9th Constitutional Government. The meeting will see the signing of several memorandums of understanding aimed at consolidating cooperation between the two countries in strategic areas.

The Indian President will also hold a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation to discuss the relevance of international issues and regional cooperation, before an official dinner hosted in her honor by the President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta, at the Rahane Palace.

The visit is part of a series of visits to the Pacific region, which also include visits to Fiji and New Zealand.

Last September, at the ASEAN-India meeting held on the sidelines of the 43rd ASEAN Summit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the decision to establish an Indian Embassy in Dili. A statement published on the Indian Ministry of External Affairs website at the time mentioned that “this decision reflects the importance India attaches to ASEAN and its relations with Timor-Leste”, adding that “this decision is warmly welcomed by Timor-Leste and ASEAN member states”.