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Address by H.E. Sachdeva, Ambassador of India to
Bulgaria at the Festive Public Meeting on the Occasion

of the 60th Anniversary of the Establishment of
Diplomatic Relations between India and Bulgaria

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, In Bulgaria, existence of many Yoga centers and
Indian restaurants, telecasting of Hindi soap operas/
It is both an honor and pleasure for me to movies and increasing tourist exchanges, etc. are
participate in this festive public event to celebrate indicative of attraction of people towards India.
60th anniversary of establishment of Diplomatic Indology Department of Sofia University plays an
relations between India and Bulgaria which has important role in educating many Bulgarians in
been jointly organized by the Friends of India Club the languages, philosophy and history of India. I
and the Indology Department of Sofia University. am happy to learn that alumni of this Department
I extend to all of you my greetings and best wishes retain their affection for India even after successfully
on this occasion. completing their education. I wish to thank the
While India and Bulgaria established members of the Friends of India Club and the
diplomatic ties only six decades back, contacts Indology Department for today’s programme which
between peoples of the two ancient civilizations has received an overwhelming response. I assure both
could be traced back to many centuries. Both the organizations of continued support of the Embassy
countries are proud of their glorious cultural and wish them success in all their endeavours.
heritage. Our two countries have a long standing Bilateral trade figures between the two countries,
friendship, despite the geographical distance though modest, have shown an increasing trend in
that separates them. Over the past sixty years the previous year. This is a welcome development.
period, a number of bilateral frameworks have I am convinced that various commercial sectors in
been set up by the two governments to promote the two countries offer mutually beneficial business
cooperation in various sectors. The existence of opportunities. Initiatives are being planned to make
so many governmental bilateral mechanisms is trade and investment agencies in the two countries
demonstrative of the importance attached by the aware of these opportunities and to encourage them
two countries to this friendship. for exploratory business delegation exchanges.
In addition to efforts by the two governments, I take this opportunity to thank the Bulgarian
there are many cultural academic, commercial Ministry of Transport, IT and Communication
and scientific institutes/organizations, which for releasing commemorative postcards in context
have contributed immensely in promotion of of the 60th anniversary celebration. Few cultural
these friendly ties. I wish to acknowledge their events were organized by the Embassy in the current
contributions and congratulate them for a job year, efforts are being made to hold few exhibitions
well done. I take this opportunity to commend and additional cultural events in the next year in
the efforts and energies which institutions like the cooperation with prominent Bulgarian institutes, in
Тадж махал
Friends of India Club; Indology Department, Sofia the frameworks of the 60th anniversary celebrations.
University; East West Indological Foundation; While being satisfied with the status of the existing
Namaste Bulgaria and many more Bulgarian warm and friendly bilateral relationship which has
institutes have been putting on a regular basis been built over sixty-year period, I am confident
not only to keep interest for India alive among that potential exists for enhanced cooperation in all
Bulgarians, but also to create awareness of the existing sectors of cooperation and in new areas
developments in India in correct perspective. which have yet to be explored. I am certain that the
While thanking all of them, I assure them of Diamond Jubilee year would encourage all of us to put
Embassy’s continued support for such initiatives in extra efforts for building upon the existing bond of
and would welcome new ideas for reaching out to friendship and take the relationship between the two
many more people. countries to a higher level.