Vice President Hamid Ansari arrives in Poland

Warsaw, Apr 26 (PTI) Vice President Hamid Ansari today arrived here in Poland on the second leg of his two nation trip, during which he will hold talks with the country’s top leadership on key issues including India’s NSG membership. Ansari was received by Irena Lichnerowicz Augustyn, Director of diplomatic protocol at the Warsaw Airport and given ceremonial welcome. Over the next two days, he will meet the Polish president and the prime minister, who will host a banquet in the vice president’s honour. He will also meet the speaker of the Senate. Ansari will inaugurate a business seminar. He will deliver a lecture at the University of Warsaw and inaugurate the Indian Embassy Chancery cum Residential Complex. “This is befitting that the Embassy is being inaugurated by Vice President on its 60th anniversary of establishment of our embassy in Warsaw,” an MEA official has said. The Ambassador of India will host a reception in the honour of the vice president where he is expected to meet the Indian community and friends of India in Poland. The vice president is accompanied by his wife Salma Ansari, Union Minister of State Small, Medium and Micro Industry Giriraj Singh, MP Sitaram Yechuri, MP Vivek Tankha, MP D P Tripathi and MP Thustan Chhuwang. India is set to sign an MoU with Poland in the agriculture sector. There is also considerable potential for bilateral engagement in the defence sector. India has close economic ties with Poland. Indian investments in Poland amount to around USD 3 billion and Polish investments in India are of about USD 600 million. “As Polish business looks for market and opportunities beyond Europe, India is a natural partner. Our trade has gone 25 per cent in just one year,” the official had said. Before reaching Poland, Ansari visited Armenia and held talks with the country’s top leadership. PTI