Overview

Being two very old civilizations, and cultural heritages, India and Bulgaria have developed close and cordial relations over the years, despite geographical distance. The links between the two countries are steeped in antiquity, and in the recorded history, we have traces of contacts between these two great civilizations in the 8th Century A.D. Recent research studies show some similarity between the old Indian script Brahmi and the ancient Bulgarian script Glagolitsa. Even the great Bulgarian Revolutionary Rakovski, while opposing British colonialism-imperialism in India, went to the extent of declaring that the forefathers of Bulgarians belonged originally to India. Whatever might be the findings of history, comparative philosophy and ethnology on the ancient links between the two countries, in modern times, India and Bulgaria, as two independent nation-States have developed close, cordial and multi-dimensional relationship.

  Indo-Bulgarian Bilateral Relations

Indo-Bulgarian ties have traditionally been close and friendly. Diplomatic relations were established in 1954. Close political understanding marked by frequent high level exchanges, as well as extensive cultural interactions, have been important features of our bilateral links.

Milestones in our bilateral relationship with Bulgaria have been visits from India by Vice-President Dr. S. Radhakrishnan (1954), PM Indira Gandhi (1967), President V.V. Giri (1976), President Sanjiva Reddy (1980), PM Indira Gandhi (1981), Vice President R. Venkataraman (1985), President S.D. Sharma (1994), Vice President Krishan Kant (2000) and President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (2003). From the Bulgarian side, their Presidents visited India in 1976, 1983 and 1998, and Prime Minister in 1974 and 1980. The recent high-level visits from both sides have been that of Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivailo Kalfin to India in February / March 2009, visit of Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev to India in September, 2007 and of Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Somnath Chatterjee to Bulgaria in June, 2008.

  Appointment of a Honorary Consul of India in Bourgas (Bulgaria)

With the concurrence of the Government of Bulgaria, the Government of India appointed Mr. Lubomir Atansasov Mandjoukov as the Honorary Consul of India in Bourgas with the jurisdiction over the territory of the Districts of Bourgas, Varna, Dobrich, Silistra, Shumen and Yambol with headquarter in Bourgas. The formal opening of the Honorary Consulate in Bourgas was done in Bourgas on 7 November 2008.

  Recent Exchange of visits :

From the Indian side, Dr. T. Ramasami, Secretary, Department of Science & Technology of India, led a five member-delegation to Bulgaria from 13-16 May, 2009 for the sixth session of the Indo-Bulgarian Joint Science &Technology Committee meeting. Shri R.K.Mathur, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Defence of India, led a three-member delegation to Bulgaria from 6-9 May, 2009 for the XIV Session of the Joint Committee on India Bulgaria Defence Cooperation. Shri Nalin Surie, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs paid an official visit to Sofia as Special Envoy of Prime Minister and as leader of Indian delegation for the Foreign Office Consultations. A 13-member Indian Parliamentary Delegation led by Hon’ble Speaker of Lok Sabha, Shri Somnath Chatterjee visited Bulgaria from June 16-20, 2008. A three-member Parliamentary delegation led by Shri S.S. Ahluwalia, M.P (RS) and including Shri K.V.Thangkabalu, M.P (LS) visited Sofia from June 8-12, 2008 to attend the Sixth General Assembly of International Parliamentarians’ Association for IT (IPAIT VI) held at the National Assembly of Bulgaria in Sofia. India was elected as the next host of the IPAIT VII to be held in 2009 and Shri S.S.Ahluwalia was elected as the Vice-President of the IPAIT. A five-member delegation from the Ministry of Defence visited Bulgaria from May 28-June1, 2008 to attend the 8th edition of the International Defence Exhibition Hemus 2008 held in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. A three member delegation led by Secretary (Culture) Shri Abhijit Sengupta including Ambassador/PR of India to UNESCO Ms. Bhaswati Mukherjee paid a visit to Sofia to attend the Second UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage being held in Sofia from February 18-22, 2008.

From the Bulgarian side, Bulgarian Deputy PM & Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin paid an official visit to India from 28 February – 4 March, 2009. Deputy Minister of Economy and Energy Mr. Yavor Kuiumdjiev led a nine-member delegation to India for the 13th session of the Indo-Bulgarian Joint Defence Committee meeting in New Delhi from May 8-9, 2008. The 13th Session was held after a long gap of 13 years. Deputy Minister of Interior Mr. Goran Yonov led a four-member delegation to India from June 9-13, 2008 to hold talks with their counterparts in India in connection with the Agreement on Combating Organized Crime, International terrorism and Illegal trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances signed between India and Bulgaria in 1994.

  Visit of Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister to India (28 Feb. – 4 March 2009)

Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Ivailo Kalfin paid an official visit to India from 28 February – 4 March, 2009 at the invitation of EAM Shri Pranab Mukherjee. He called on the Vice-President of India Hon’ble Shri Hamid Ansari and met with his Indian counterpart during the visit. Mr. Kalfin also addressed the representatives of FICCI about investment opportunities in Bulgaria. An agreement for abolishment of visa regime in respect of diplomatic and official passport holders of both the countries and the Programme for Cooperation in the fields of Education, Science and Culture for the period 2009-11 was signed during the visit.

  Visit of Lok Sabha Speaker to Bulgaria (June 16-20, 2008)

A 13-member Indian Parliamentary Delegation led by Hon’ble Speaker of Lok Sabha, Shri Somnath Chatterjee visited Bulgaria from June 16-20, 2008. The delegation comprised of four MPs from Lok Sabha, two MPs from Rajya Sabha, Secretary-General of Lok Sabha and other officials of Lok Sabha nd Rajya Sabha. Hon’ble Speaker called on the President of Bulgaria H.E Mr. Georgi Purvanov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Emergency Situations H.E Mrs. Emel Etem (who was the acting Prime Minister in the absence of PM Sergei Stanishev) and met with the Chairman of National Assembly of Bulgaria H.E. Mr. Georgi Pirinski. He also visited the Indira Gandhi School in Sofia and addressed the ‘Friends of India Club’ and the Indology Depratment of Sofia University. The delegation also paid a visit to the historic city of Veliko-Turnovo. The visit further cemented the traditional friendly and warm ties between India and Bulgaria.

  Visit of Bulgarian Prime Minister to India (September 10-15, 2007)

Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev paid a State visit to India from September 10-15, 2007. The delegation included Economy and Energy Minister Peter Dimitrov, Justice Minister Miglena Tacheva, Labour and Social Policy Minister Emilia Maslarova and 51 business persons. The Prime Ministers of India and Bulgaria held official talks on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual concern. Stanishev called on President Smt. Pratibha Patil and Vice President Shri Hamid Ansari, and met with Speaker, Lok Sabha Shri Somnath Chatterjee, External Affairs Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee, Chairperson of United Progressive Alliance Smt. Sonia Gandhi, and Leader of Opposition Shri L.K. Advani. Apart from Delhi, PM Stanishev also paid a visit to Bangalore, Chennai and Agra. In Bangalore, he met with the Karnataka Governor Rameshwar Thakur and Chief Minister H.D.Kumaraswamy. He also visited the ISRO Satellite Centre in Bangalore and had a meeting with senior officials of Infosys Ltd. In Chennai, he met with the Governor of Tamil Nadu Surjit Singh Barnalla and visited the facility of Vestas RRB India Ltd. and Sutherland Global Services IT park. He also paid a visit to Agra during his return journey from Chennai to Sofia. During the visit, the two Sides signed seven agreements.

  Bilateral Agreements Between India And Bulgaria

1. Agreement on Cooperation in Tourism; signed in Sofia, May 1994
2. Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation; signed in Sofia, May 1994
3. Agreement on Combating Organized Crime, International Terrorism and Illicit Trafficking in Narcotics and Psychotropic substances; signed in Sofia, May 1994
4. Protocol on Foreign Office Consultations; signed in Sofia, May 1994
5. Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement, signed on 26 October 1998
6. Air Services Agreement, signed in New Delhi, June 1992
7. MoU in the field of Defence Cooperation, July 1993
8. Agreement on Cooperation in the field of Science and Technology, signed in New Delhi, November 2000
9. Agreement for Cooperation in the field of Agriculture
10. MoU between NCTI (National Centre for Trade Information, India) and BTPA (Bulgarian Trade Promotion Agency) signed in 1998.
11. Cooperation Agreement between the ECGC (Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India) and BAEZ (Bulgarian Export Insurance Agency); signed on 23 December 2002
12. Treaty on Extradition, signed in October 2003
13. Agreement on Cooperation in Youth Affairs and Sports, 23 October 2003
14. MoU for cooperation between the Bulgarian Association for the Information Technologies and the Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council of India, 23 October 2003
15. MoU on Mutual Cooperation between the Foreign Service Institute, Ministry of External Affairs, India and the Diplomatic Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bulgaria, 28 July 2004
16. Agreement on Economic Cooperation (signed in September 2007 and came into force on 17.4.2008)
17. Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (signed in September 2007 and came into force on 09.10.2008)
18. Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Civil and Commercial Matters (signed in September 2007)
19. Treaty on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons (signed in September 2007 and came into force on 09.10.2008)
20. Protocol for Amending the Agreement for the Promotion and Protection of Investment, signed in New Delhi on 26 October 1998 (signed on 12.09.2007 and came into force on 12.05.2008).
21. Protocol of Intent on Labour Relations, Employment and Social Security between the Ministry of Labour and Employment of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of the Republic of Bulgaria (September 2007)
22. Memorandum of Understanding between the National Small Industries Corporation Ltd., India, and the Bulgarian Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency regarding Cooperation in the field of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Development (September 2007)
23. Agreement on abolition of visa requirement for holders of Diplomatic and Official Passports ( March 2009)
24. Programme of Cooperation in the field of Education, Science and Culture 2009-11 (March 2009)
25. Programme of Cooperation in the field of Science & Technology 2008-10 (signed on May 14, 2009)

  Agreements discontinued since January 1, 2007

1. Agreement on Quarantine and Plant protection, signed in Sofia, May 1994
2. Veterinary and Sanitary Agreement; signed in Sofia, May 1994
3. Agreement on Merchant Shipping (Maritime Agreement) – signed in 1976 and terminated w.e.f. 08.10.2008.

  Bilateral Agreements Between India And Bulgaria

1. Agreement on Quarantine and Plant protection, signed in Sofia, May 1994
2. Veterinary and Sanitary Agreement; signed in Sofia, May 1994

  Bilateral Exchange of Visits in the last few years :

  Parliamentary Contacts:

There has been a regular exchange of Parliamentary contacts between the two countries. In the Bulgarian Parliament, there is a Parliamentary group of 34 MPs for Indo-Bulgarian Friendship which has representation from the major parties of Bulgaria. Similarly, in the Indian Parliament, an Indo-Bulgarian Friendship Group has been constituted with Shri C. Kishore Chandra S. Deo (INC) as President of the Group, two Vice-Presidents (Shri Basudeb Acharia and Shri Surendra Motilal Patel) as well as 19 other members (13 from Lok Sabha and 6 from Rajya Sabha).

  Foreign Office Consultations:

A Protocol for Foreign Office Consultation was signed in May 1994 during the State visit of President S.D. Sharma to Bulgaria. The first round of Mutual Consultations was held in Sofia (December 1995); second in Delhi (October 1997); the third in Sofia in September 1999), fourth in New Delhi on April 27, 2006. The fifth round of FOC was held in Sofia on July 21, 2008. Shri Nalin Surie, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs of India, led the FOC from the Indian side where as the Bulgarian side was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Mr. Radion Vasilev Popov.

  Defence Cooperation

Indo-Bulgarian Defence Cooperation dates back to 1966 when India started purchase of defence armaments from Bulgaria. In 1979, during the visit of the Indian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister to Bulgaria, it was agreed to establish a Joint Committee with the objective of fostering defence Cooperation between the two countries. An MoU between India and Bulgaria was signed in July 1993 for cooperation between the Defence Ministries of both the countries. The Indo-Bulgarian Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation has met 14 times and the last session was held in Sofia on May 7-8, 2009.

  Sports

During the visit of Hon’ble President of India Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam to Bulgaria during October 22-24, 2003 an Agreement in the field of Youth and Sports was signed by both the sides. Under the Protocol, a provision exists for bilateral exchange of Specialists, Information and Documentation in the field of Sports. As a run-up to the Athens Olympics scheduled in August 2004, 6 free-style Indian wrestlers trained in Sofia before participating at the Athens Olympics in August 2004. World Chess Champion Vishwanathan Anand came to Sofia in January 2004 for an exhibition match with Bulgarian top player Vesselin Topalov. Anand took part in a chess tournament in May, 2005 in Sofia. Bulgarian Archery coach Ivanov Ivan Yotov coached the Indian archery team which took part in the Olympics in August 2004. Two Bulgarian officials from the Bulgarian State Agency of Youth Affairs and Sports Mr. Ivan Modev, Director General of Youth Policy Directorate and Mr. Nikolay Ivanov, Director of EU Coordination and International Activities Directorate represented Bulgaria at the National Youth Festival which took place from 13th to 17th February, 2006 in Patna. A delegation comprising of 30 sports-persons and officials nominated by the Ministry of Defence of Bulgaria visited Hyderabad, India from October 21, 2007 to take part in the 4th edition of the World Military Games.

  Professional Course for Foreign Diplomats(PCFD)

In line with the MoU signed between Foreign Service Institute, New Delhi and the Bulgarian diplomatic Academy, Bulgarian nationals have attended PCFD Course in Foreign Service Institute, New Delhi. Mrs Emiliya Yordanova Stefanova- Veleva attended the 40th PCFD from 1 Feb- 10 Mar, 2006. Mrs. Marieta Petrova Arabadjieva attended the 38th PCFD from 22nd August- 30th September, 2005. Ms. Asya Tsvetanova from the Bulgarian Foreign Office attended the 41st PCFD Course (Nov.-Dec. 2006) in New Delhi. Ms. Krassimira Beshkova from the International Law Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria attended the 45th PCFD Course in Jan-Feb. 2008.

  Cooperation under UN Courses

Bulgarian nominees have been taking part in the UN Military Contingent Junior Officers Capsule (UNMCJOC) Courses at New Delhi since 2005. Major Todor Yordanov Todorov attended the UNMCJOC- 5 course from August 22, 2005 to Sep 9, 2005. In 2006, Captain Dimitar Penchev Gogov attended the UNMCJOC-6 course from July 3-21, 2006. Lt. Col. Aleksander Donev Aleksiev attended the UNMOC-7 Course from July 9-20, 2007 in New Delhi. Lt. Col. Zlatko Ivanov Markov from the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Bulgaria attended the UNMOC-8 Course from 30 June -11 July 2008 in New Delhi and Col. Neno Hristov attended the UNMCOC-8 course at CUNPK, New Delhi from 27th October to 14th November 2008.