Recent Visits by Bulgarian side to India :

 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. Seven Agreements were signed during the visit.

 Visit of Deputy Minister of Education and Science, Dr. Vania Dobreva to India (November 12-15, 2007)

Bulgarian Deputy Minister of Education and Science, Dr. Vania Dobreva led a Bulgarian delegation to India for the Fifth Meeting of the Joint Committee for Science and Technology held in New Delhi on November 12, 2007. The Indian side was led by Dr. T. Ramaswami, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. Various ongoing projects between the two sides were recommended for continuation and new proposals were approved for implementation. It was also agreed that the Sixth Session of the Joint Committee would be held in Bulgaria in 2008 / 09.

 Visit of Chairman of the State Agency for IT, Plamen Vatchkov to India (Oct. 15, 2007)

The third meeting of the India - Bulgaria Joint Forum on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT Forum) was held on 15 October 2007 at New Delhi. The four member Bulgarian delegation was led by the Chairman of the State Agency for IT, Plamen Vatchkov. During the meeting, it was agreed to further strengthen ICT cooperation between the two countries in the priority areas of e-Governance, Technology Park, ICT education, Research & Development and Info-Security. It was also decided to set up specific groups in these areas for close interaction and speedy implementation of future collaborative projects.

 Bulgarian Deputy Minister of Defence Mr. Spas Panchev 's visit to India (January 29- February 4, 2006)

Deputy Defence Minister Mr. Spas Panchev leading a large delegation visited India from January 29 to February 4, 2006 to take part in the Defence exhibition. He met Defence Minsiter Shri Pranab Mukherjee and discussed potential areas for enhanced defence cooperation. A defence delegation from India is expected to visit Sofia in the second half of 2006.

 Bulgarian Deputy Minister of Justice, Mr. Margarit Ganev's visit to India (January 9-13, 2006)

A four-member Bulgarian delegation led by Deputy Minister of Justice, Mr. Margarit Ganev visited India from January 9-13. The delegation met their counterparts from India and held negotiations on Legal Assistance on Criminal Matters. During the visit, Mr. Ganev met our MoS of Home Affairs Shri R. Raghupathy and called on Hon’ble Minister for Home, Shri Shivraj Patil and Hon’ble Minister for Law and Justice Shri H.R. Bhardwaj.

 Bulgarian Education and Science Minister’s visit to India (December 3-7, 05)

Deputy PM and Education and Science Minister Daniel Vulchev visited India from December 3-7. He met Minister for Science, Technology and Ocean Development, Kapil Sibal. Both signed a Programme for scientific and technical cooperation for the 2006-2007. The programme provides for the form of scientific cooperation between Bulgaria and India. Vulchev also met with Minister for Human Resources Development, Shri Arjun Singh and with Vice-Chancellor of the Delhi University, Shri Deepak Pental and Head of the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Prof. Surendra Prasad.

 Bulgarian Deputy Deputy Economy and Energy Minister Kornelia Ninova visit to India (November 28-December 2, 05)

Deputy Economy and Energy Minister Kornelia Ninova visited India from November 28- December 2. She met Shri S.N.Menon, Additional Secretary in Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Both sides discussed opportunities for business in steel production, textile and food industry, agriculture and trade in leathers. Ninova handed a formal invitation from Bulgarian Economy and Energy Minister Roumen Ocharov to our Minister for Commerce and Industry, Shri Kamal Nath to visit Bulgaria at his convenience.

 Bulgarian Agriculture Minister’s visit to India (November 17-20, 2004)

A Bulgarian delegation headed by Agriculture and Forestry Minister Mehmed Dikme visited India to participate in the15th Indo-Bulgarian Joint Commission between November 17 and 20 in New Delhi. Bulgarian delegation also included Deputy Economy Minister Radoslav Bozadjiev who led a delegation of Bulgarian business people who participated in the eleventh meeting of the JBC which took place along with the JCM. Others in the delegation included Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications, Mr. Nedelchev and Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Mr. Feim Chausev. Minister of Agriculture, Shri Sharad Pawar co-chaired the JCM from the Indian side. An IT Forum was set up during the JCM. Both sides signed the protocol at the conclusion of 15th session of JCM.

 Bulgarian Foreign Minister’s visit to India (July 27-30, 2004)

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Passy visited India from July 27-30. The official delegation included Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Agriculture and Defence, local government officials and businesspersons. Passy met EAM Shri Natwar Singh and discussed bilateral relations, regional, and international issues as well as economic cooperation. During the meeting, Passy assured India of support from the Bulgarian side for the permanent membership of UNSC and also of cooperation in the field of anti-terrorism. EAM briefed Passy about India’s position on the Iraq situation stating that India would not send troops there. Passy stated the idea for adopting a code of conduct in hostage situations for the authorities and the news media. Both sides discussed the situation in Afghanistan also. Foreign Minister Passy presented a package of specific proposals for joint projects in economy, science and technology. Passy invited India to participate in the tender for the construction of Bulgaria’s second nuclear power plant in Belene. He invited Indian side to begin the construction of a solar power plant at the Black Sea cost. Indian side expressed interest in cooperation in agriculture, electronics, information technology and steel production. A MoU was signed between the two sides on cooperation between the foreign services institutions of the two countries. A Bulgarian-Indian business forum, organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry took place during the visit.

Bilateral cooperation and international matters topped the agenda of Passy’s talks with President Abdul Kalam. Bulgarian delegation headed by Foreign Minister Passy met with Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee. Passy delivered a draft memorandum between the two countries’ Defence Ministries for mutual recognition of government guarantees for the quality of products and services in the area of defence, and said Bulgarian Defence Ministry is ready to host visits by Indian defence experts. Passy extended invitations for visits to Bulgaria to our Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Defence Minister. During the visit, Passy decorated three Indians with Golden Laurel Badge in recognition of their contribution to the promotion of bilateral relations and in connection with the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations. This is the first visit by any Bulgarian Foreign Minister in India since 1980.