Culture, Education and Science, EU – Baltic States, Good for Business, Latvia, Legislation

The consultations addressed bilateral issues, topics of importance for the EU and India and the acute regional problems. The EU-India Summit in April was highlighted as one of the top priorities within the framework of the strategic dialogue between the EU and India. The event will focus on the conclusion of negotiations on the Free Trade Agreement. With the aim of forging closer cooperation between Europe and Asia, Asia Week is to be held in Latvia and will host the Asia–Europe Education Ministers’ Meeting and the Asia–Europe Transport Ministerial.

There was general agreement that the opening of the Embassy of Latvia in Delhi demonstrates Latvia's commitment to promote and expand the political dialogue. Andrejs Pildegovics invited India's External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj, and the Speaker of the Parliament, Sumitra Mahajan, to visit Latvia.

Cooperation in culture and education has considerably increased over the past decade. To promote cooperation in those sectors, the Centre for Indian Studies and Culture has been established at the University of Latvia, and the Higher Education Centre of Latvia has been working in Chennai. Latvia and India have agreed on signing an agreement that to promote a more active student exchange.

During his visit, State Secretary Andrejs Pildegovics met with the Honorary Consul of Latvia in Chennai, Narayanaswami Ramachandran, and the newly-appointed Honorary Consul of Latvia in Bangalore, Balan Balasubramaniam. The Latvian Foreign Ministry’s State Secretary expressed gratitude to Honorary Consuls for their contribution to strengthening of relations between Latvia and India and increasing Latvia's visibility, and emphasised that Latvia's Honorary Consuls are Latvia's emissaries whose support is priceless. Both Honorary Consuls confirmed their commitment to standing up for Latvia's interests in India and noted that their activities will increase with the accreditation of a Latvian Ambassador to India.

On 3 February, the Embassy of Latvia in India was officially opened in the presence of Rahul Chhabra, Secretary (East) from the Ministry of External Affairs of the Republic of India, diplomats accredited in India, business people from Latvia, friends and supporters.

In his welcoming speech, State Secretary Pildegovics emphasised that, within a generation, Latvia has not only been able to evolve from an occupied country into an EU member state, but also assume the Presidency of the Council of the EU for the next half year. The State Secretary noted that Latvia is ready to build a dialogue in the transport and transit sectors as well as expand cooperation in education and health care. Andrejs Pildegovics also highlighted the role of culture in connecting people from Latvia and India and presented Latvian artists, Aleksejs Naumovs and Kristaps Zarins, who have contributed to the Latvia-India relations by offering their perspectives on India's architectural treasures.

The Embassy opening event featured the display of paintings by Aleksejs Naumovs, Rector of the Latvian Academy of Art, and Prorector Kristaps Zarins. The guests admired two recent paintings by both artists depicting the Taj Mahal, the seventh wonder of the world.