RIGA: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday said India and Latvia can become important partners as the “world economy progresses towards the fourth Industrial Revolution” where technology and innovations will play key roles.
The vice president is on the second leg of his five-day three-nation tour to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, the first-ever high-level visit from India to the three Baltic countries.
Addressing the Indian community in the Latvian capital Riga, Naidu said, “Latvia and India can become important partners as the world economy progresses towards the fourth Industrial Revolution where technology and innovations will play key roles. I see a lot of scope for Indian and Latvian companies to engage in new-age technologies through collaborations.”
The vice president said India is proud of the contributions made by its 30 million-strong diaspora all over the world.
“Your contributions to the progress and prosperity of your motherland are indeed praiseworthy. You are all the mediums for bringing foreign investments, technology, expertise and goodwill to India,” he said.
Naidu said though the Indian community in Latvia is quite small, it’s a contribution to the development of friendly relations and promoting people-to-people contact between the two countries is “crucial”.
The vice president said the ties between the two nations have been growing steadily in diverse arenas since the establishment of the diplomatic relations in 1991.
“We are committed to further enhancing and strengthening our relations with Latvia in all spheres, be it business, culture or academics,” he said.
Naidu also commended the Indian community and students for carving out a niche for themselves in Latvia.
Observing that there was a new dynamism in India’s diaspora policy and outreach, Naidu invited the youths to connect with India through programmes like ‘Know India’. PTI