New Delhi: The Vice President’s 9-day tour of Gabon, Senegal and Qatar successfully concluded today, with Naidu returning to India later in the evening. While the Vice President’s tour to Gabon and Senegal were the first high level visits from India, his visit to Qatar was the first by any Indian Vice President. During the visits, he had wide ranging discussions with top leadership in each country. Shri Naidu also interacted with the business fraternity and the Indian community in all three countries at receptions held in his honour in the capital cities of Libreville, Dakar and Doha.
The Vice President addressed the Indian diaspora community in Qatar in Doha yesterday. Lauding them for their achievements, Naidu said that the Qatari leadership he had met during the visit had an extremely positive the Indian community and valued their significant contribution to the country’s development. He said the “the 7.80 lakh strong Indian community in Qatar is a living bridge between the two countries”.
Noting that India and Qatar will mark the 50th anniversary of establishing full diplomatic relations next year, Naidu said that “the countries are building a “comprehensive energy partnership. Cooperation between India and Qatar is also expanding in defence, security, healthcare and education sectors”. He further recalled that both sides agreed in principle to establish an Indian Chair at Qatar University and to pursue cooperation in the fields of sports and culture. He also referred to the launch of a start-up bridge between India and Qatar the previous day as an instance of the growing ties between the countries.
Naidu called upon the diaspora community to participate in the India growth story and “maintain a link with the Janma Bhoomi”. In his message to the Indian youth going abroad, the Vice President asked them to ‘learn, earn and return’ to share prosperity with their motherland. “Each of you can contribute to the rapid socio-economic development and transformation happening in India. We can immensely gain from the skills and talents of the diaspora. Explore how you can also join in the national efforts to make a difference in the lives of fellow Indians”, he said. He also wanted the Indians living abroad to preserve and protect their mother tongue.
During this visit, the Vice President is being accompanied by Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Sushil Kumar Modi, Member of Parliament, Vijay Pal Singh Tomar, Member of Parliament, P. Ravindranath, Member of Parliament and senior officials from the Vice President’s Secretariat and the Ministry of External Affairs.
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