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Relations between India and Portugal date back to over 500 years when the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama led a sea-faring expedition to Calicut (Kozhikode) in Kerala in May 1498, making him the first to discover a direct sea route between Europe and India, across the Atlantic Ocean and the African continent. This enabled Portugal to directly access the highly profitable Indian spice market and emerge as a dominant colonial trading power.
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In 1502 AD, the Portuguese established a trading centre at Kollam (formerly Quilon) in Kerala. They later acquired several other enclaves on the western coast including Diu, Daman, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Goa in 1510. Goa subsequently became the capital of the Portuguese activities in the Orient, which stretched from Malacca (Malaysia) in the east to Mozambique in the west.
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Relations between India and Portugal began amicably in 1947 after India’s independence and diplomatic relations were established in 1949. However, they soon went into decline in 1950 after Portugal's dictator Antonio Salazar refused to surrender the Portuguese enclaves. Indian military action under “Operation Vijay” liberated Goa on 19 December 1961, ending over 450 years of Portuguese rule. However, the strained diplomatic relations were restored following the Portuguese Carnation Revolution in April 1974 which overthrew Salazar’s Estado Novo. India and Portugal finally signed a treaty on 31 December 1974 on recognition of India’s sovereignty over Goa, Daman & Diu, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and related matters. The treaty came into force on 3 June 1975.
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While relations were cordial, bilateral engagement was sluggish owing to Portugal’s preoccupation with restoring domestic political stability and integrating with the EU and India’s focus also on its region. The exchanges of presidential visits in 1990, 1992 and 1998, followed by the visit of PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee to Lisbon in 2000 for the first India-EU Summit and the visit of Portuguese PM José Socrates to Delhi for the 8th India-EU Summit during the 2007 Portuguese Presidency of the EU provided the much needed momentum to contemporary relations. The bilateral relations really gathered steam with the reciprocal visits by PM António Costa and PM Narendra Modi in January and June 2017 respectively, followed by the visit of PM Costa in December 2019 and the State Visit of President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa to India in February 2020. In the context of celebration of 50 years of re-establishment of diplomatic relations between both the countries, President Draupadi Murmu visited Portugal from 7-8 April 2025.
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PM Antonio Costa visited India from 7-12 January 2017 with a Ministerial and business delegation. PM Costa is the first Indian-origin Head of Government in the Western world. During the visit, 8 MoUs were signed in Defence, Agriculture, Marine Research, IT & Electronics, Startups, Renewable Energy etc., establishment of an ICCR Chair at the University of Lisbon etc. A Joint Stamp depicting the dances of both countries was released to commemorate 500 years of mutual relations. Portuguese novel Signo da Ira, set in Goa and authored by PM Costa’s father, was translated into English and released during the visit.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Portugal on June 24, 2017. During this first-ever standalone bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Portugal, 11 MoUs were signed in areas like Space, avoidance of double taxation, Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Public Administration and Governance Reforms, Culture, Youth & Sports, s and Higher Education (IITs).
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On 19 December 2019, PM Costa visited India to attend a meeting of the Organising Committee overseeing the 2-year global commemorations of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi (Bapu@150), set up by PM Modi.
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Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa accompanied by three Ministers, Parliamentarians and business people visited India from February 13-16, 2020. 32 MOUs/ outcomes were signed. President Sousa visited Delhi, Mumbai and Goa.
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From 12-14 September 2021, Minister of State for External Affairs (MoS) Meenakshi Lekhi paid an official visit to Portugal to review bilateral relations with her counterpart, Secretary of State (SoS) for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Francisco André. They signed the Bilateral Agreement on the Recruitment of Indian Citizens to Work in Portugal. The agreement is to establish an institutional mechanism for partnership and cooperation between India and Portugal on sending and receiving Indian workers through legal channels. Portugal is the first EU country with which India has signed a dedicated agreement on labour mobility. It is also the first such document signed by Portugal with a non-EU partner.
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From 26-27 April 2022, the Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs João Gomes Cravinho participated in the Raisina Dialogues’ panel on world expectations chaired by EAM Dr S Jaishankar. They also had a bilateral meeting with EAM reaffirming our relationship, during his visit to New Delhi.
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From 27 June to 1 July 2022, an official delegation led by the Minister of State (IC) for Science and Technology and Minister of State (IC) for Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh visited Portugal to participate in the 2022 UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon.
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Secretary of State for Energy and Climate, Ana Fontoura Gouveia visited Bengaluru to participate in the India Energy Week from 6-8 January 2023. During the visit, she met with Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Housing & Urban Affairs Shri Hardeep Singh Puri and held discussions on bilateral energy cooperation.
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6 Members of 15th legislature of the Portuguese National Assembly, (including the Presidents of the Youth Wing of the ruling party PS and the Opposition PSD and the President of the Portuguese Parliament Delegation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union), participated in the 9th Gen Next Programme organized by Indian Council for Cultural Relations from 10-19 April 2023.
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External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar paid an official visit to Portugal from 31 October - 1 November, 2023. This was his first official visit to Portugal and the first by an EAM in more than two decades. During the visit he called on Prime Minister H.E. Antonio Costa and President of the Portuguese Parliament (Assembly of the Republic) H.E. Augusto Santos Silva. He held delegation level talks with his counterpart Foreign Minister H.E. Joao Gomes Cravinho.
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Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro during the sidelines of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro on 18 November 2024. The leaders discussed bilateral cooperation in various fields, including trade and investment, defence, science and technology, tourism, culture, and people to people ties.
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Mr. Paulo Rangel, Minister of State and Foreign Affairs of Portugal visited India from 12-15 December 2024. On 13 December 2024, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar held delegation level talks with Foreign Minister Rangel wherein they reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral ties including trade and investment, defence, science and technology, tourism, culture, and people to people ties. During the visit, FM Rangel also met with Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal. He also visited Goa where he met with the Hon’ble Governor and Chief Minister of the state.
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President Draupadi Murmu paid a state visit to Portugal from 7-8 April 2025. Her visit was the highlight of the commemoration the 50th anniversary of re-establishment of diplomatic relations, and was the first state visit in 27 years. During the visit, she had meetings with the Portuguese President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the Portuguese Prime Minister, Luis Montenegro, and the President of the Portuguese Parliament, Jose Aguira Branco. She also visited the Champalimaud foundation, and interacted with Indian researchers, paid obeisance at the Gandhi Statue and visited the Radha Krishna temple. She also addressed the Indian community in Portugal.
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Speaker of Lok Sabha, Shri Om Birla visited Portugal during both legs of a transit en route to Brazil, on 2 June 2025 and 7 June 2025,. He met President of the Portuguese Parliament, Jose Aguiar Branco on 2 June 2025.
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Major Indian exports to Portugal: Textiles and apparels including ready-made garments; agriculture products; metals; chemicals; plastic and rubber; footwear; machinery and appliances; leather and its articles; vehicles and other transport materials.
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Major Portuguese exports to India: Machinery and appliances; metals; minerals; plastic and rubber; chemicals; textiles and apparel; paper and pulp; wood and cork; optical and precision instruments.
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Investment: Portugal ranks 52nd in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into India, with total FDI inflows amounting to US$ 126.11 million as of December 2024. Major Portuguese companies present in India include Visabeira, Vision Box (technology company), Portind Shoe Accessories (ancillary of the Portuguese footwear manufacturer Soprefa); Martifer (metals); Efacec (industrial machinery, equipment and tools); and the Petrotec Group (retail petroleum and oil distribution industry).
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Indian investments in Portugal are estimated to be in the range of up to US$ 475 million. Major Indian companies include Generis (part of the Aurobindo Pharma Group), the MGM Group (hotels), the Sugee Group (real estate) as well as WIPRO, HCL and TCS.
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Potential areas for Portuguese companies in India include Infrastructure & Construction, Renewable Energy (especially solar and wind power), Footwear, Textiles, Tourism & Hospitality, Defence & Aerospace, IT & Electronics, Water & Waste Management, Startups, Agriculture & Food Processing. The Portugal-India Business Hub (PIB Hub), a diaspora initiative has been established for supporting bilateral business initiatives.
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A Joint Economic Committee exists at the level of Ministers of State for Commerce from both sides. The 6th Joint Committee Meeting took place in New Delhi on 23 January 2025. Bilateral Joint Working Groups are in such fields as: (i) Renewable Energy; (ii) Defence; (iii) Agriculture and Allied Sector;
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An MOU on Cultural cooperation was signed on 24 June 2017 during PM Modi’s visit to Portugal. A large number of cultural performances, youth and literary exchanges, seminars, art exhibitions etc. have been held across Portugal.
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Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, India@75 - An initiative of the Government of India to commemorate 75 years of progressive India and its glorious history of it’s people, culture and achievements. Several events have been organized notably LED Tricolor Projection on the statue of King Joseph I located in the Praça do Comércio, Lisbon on India’s Independence day 2021, lectures on Yoga and Ayurveda, celebration of International day of Yoga, Gandhi Jayanti, Ekta Diwas, Mahaparinirvan Diwas, Parakram Diwas , Tagore birth anniversary etc commemorating the life and teaching of the great Indian leaders. A special iconic week was celebrated in the month of January 2022 showcasing India’s rich cultural heritage through art, dance, music, cuisines etc.
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President of ICCR Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe visited Portugal in June 2023. He participated in the commemoration of the International Day of Yoga held on 21 June 2023 organised in front of the iconic Belem tower in Lisbon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The event, which saw the participation of around 750 people, included Common Yoga Protocol session conducted by instructors from the Portuguese Yoga Federation, guided meditation as well as classical dance performances.
