President Murmu receives “Key of Honour” of Lisbon City in Portugal

President Droupadi Murmu was made the honouary citizen of the city of Lisbon, capital of Portugal, and was presented with the prestigious “Key of Honour” of Lisbon City on 7 April 2025. The key was presented to President Murmu by the Mayor of Lisbon, Carlos Moedas, at the historic Câmara Municipal de Lisboa.

President Murmu is on a two-nation official visit to Portugal and Slovakia from 7-10 April  2025.

In the first leg of her visit, President Murmu will be in Portugal on 7-8 April 2025, while during her second leg, she will visit Slovakia on 9-10 April 2025.

Main highlights of the President's Visit to Portugal 

Visit of an Indian President after 27 years 

• After 27 years, an Indian President visited Portugal.
• President K R Narayanan was the last Indian president to visit before President Murmu visited Portugal in 1998.

Stamp on 50 years of diplomatic ties 

• Both countries are celebrating 50 years of the re-establishment of diplomatic ties.
• A postage stamp was released in the presence of President Murmu, and President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa of Portugal released, commemorating 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.  
• The stamps depict Rajasthan's Kalbeliya costume and the traditional Viana do Castelo dress of Portugal.

Other 

• President Murmu was officially welcomed by the President of t Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, at the historic ‘Praca do Imperio’ in Lisbon.
• President Droupadi Murmu also laid a wreath at the tomb of Luis Vaz de Camoes, the national poet of Portugal.
• She also met the Prime Minister of Portugal, Luis Montenegro, and the President of the National Assembly (Parliament), José Pedro Aguiar-Branco.
• President Murmu also visited the Statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Alameda and paid floral tributes to the Statue of Mahatma Gandhi and Kasturba Gandhi.

India-Portugal Ties  

• India  and Portugal have historical ties going back to the arrival of Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama to Calicut in Kerala in May 1498.
• He is the first European to discover the sea route to India.
• The Portuguese set up their first trading center at Kollam in Kerala in 1502 AD.
• Portugal established its empire in India, capturing  Diu, Daman, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, and Goa.
• Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1949.
• India, on 19 December 1961, conducted military action under Operation Vijay to liberate Goa and Diu, Daman, Dadra & Nagar Haveli after Portugal's dictator, Antonio Salazar, refused to surrender the Portuguese enclaves.
• Portugal broke its diplomatic ties with India after the liberation of Goa. 
• The diplomatic ties were restored in 1974, and Portugal accepted Goa's accession to India. 

About the Republic of Portugal 

Portugal is a European country that lies in the Iberian Peninsula.

It lies along the Atlantic coast.

It is a member of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).

Capital: Lisbon

Currency: Euro 

President : Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa

Prime Minister : Luís Montenegro