PM Modi meets presidents of Timor-Leste, Mozambique and global CEOs ahead of Vibrant Gujarat Summit

PTI, Jan 9, 2024, 2:45 PM IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral meetings with President of Timor-Leste Jose Ramos-Horta and Mozambique’s President Filipe Nyusi here on Tuesday and discussed ways to further boost ties in various fields, an MEA official said.

Modi also met top industry leaders and CEOs from across the globe and discussed plans to bolster investments in India, as per a series of posts on X by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

PM Modi arrived in Ahmedabad on Monday night.

On Tuesday morning, he reached the Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre in Gandhinagar to hold bilateral meetings with world leaders and industry leaders, a day before the inauguration of the 10th edition of Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit.

During the bilateral meeting with Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta, Modi congratulated him for his country’s upcoming membership of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and invited him to join the International Solar Alliance and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.

Modi also met Group Chairman and CEO of DP World Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Micron Technology President and CEO Sanjay Mehrotra, Deakin University’s Vice Chancellor Iain Martin, CEO of A P Moller-Maersk Keith Svendsen, and Representative Director & President, Suzuki Motor Corp, Toshihiro Suzuki, the PMO said in a series of posts on X. ”Had an excellent meeting with President @JoseRamosHorta1 of Timor-Leste. he fact that our meeting is taking place in Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar, makes this meeting even more special considering Gandhi Ji’s influence on President Horta’s life and work. We discussed ways to further bilateral and cultural ties between our nations,” Modi said in a post on X after the meeting.

The discussions also covered bilateral cooperation in various fields including development partnership in health, traditional medicine, energy, IT, fintech, capacity building among others, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on X.

”Furthering the Delhi-Dili connect! PM @narendramodi held a productive meeting with President @JoseRamosHorta1 of Timor-Leste in Gandhinagar,” he said.

PM Modi congratulated President Horta for Timor-Leste’s upcoming membership of the ASEAN, he said.

”The PM invited Timor-Leste to join the International Solar Alliance and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure. Discussions covered bilateral cooperation in various fields including development partnership in health, traditional medicine, energy, IT, fintech, capacity building among others,” the MEA spokesperson said.

Modi also held a bilateral meeting with President Filipe Nyusi of Mozambique. ”Both leaders held fruitful discussions on ways to further bilateral ties, including in the areas of defence, counter-terrorism, energy, health, trade & investment, capacity building, maritime cooperation and people to people ties,” the official said.

They also exchanged perspectives on regional and international issues, including cooperation in multilateral fora, he said.

PM Modi also met Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem and they discussed DP World’s plans to further bolster investment in India, especially pertaining to creating sustainable, green, and energy-efficient ports, and world class sustainable logistic infrastructure, the PMO said.

The president and CEO of Micron discussed with Modi the company’s efforts to enhance the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem in India, it said in another post on X.

Professor Iain Martin, the vice chancellor of Deakin University, which has set up a campus at the Gujarat International Finance Tec (GIFT) City, also called on PM Modi and they discussed enhancing collaboration between government and academic institutions pertaining to cybersecurity.

Modi also welcomed the Deakin University to collaborate with Indian universities for promoting research and innovation, the PMO said.

”Keith Svendsen, CEO of A.P. Moller- @Maersk, met PM @narendramodi in Gandhinagar. The PM welcomed their expansion plans in the GIFT City. Their discussions encompassed the crucial topics of green hydrogen and the development of logistics infrastructure,” it further said.

PM Modi also met Toshihiro Suzuki of the Suzuki Motor Corp and they discussed ”Maruti Suzuki’s plans to make India a strong player in the global automotive market by exporting Made in India vehicles, along with deploying global best practices related to vehicle scrapping and vehicle recycling into India,” the PMO added.

Modi will inaugurate the Vibrant Gujarat Global Trade Show later in the day.

In the evening, Prime Minister Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will lead a three-km road show from outside the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, officials said.

On Wednesday, PM Modi will inaugurate the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, a global forum for business collaboration, knowledge sharing and strategic partnerships for inclusive growth and sustainable development, a statement issued by the PMO said.

After inaugurating the summit, Modi will hold a meeting with CEOs of top global corporations.