Bulgaria–India relations

Bulgaria–India relations are the international relations that exist between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of India.

Bulgaria has an embassy in New Delhi and honorary consulates in Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai.[1] The embassy is jointly accredited to Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Bhutan, and also observes the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).[2] India has an embassy in Sofia, that is also jointly accredited to Macedonia.[3]

In mid-1954, preliminary negotiations were held between Bulgaria and India in Moscow, and diplomatic relations were established in December 1954.[4][5]

Bulgaria opened a diplomatic mission (Legation) in New Delhi in April 1955. The mission was re-organized into an Embassy in March 1961. India's diplomatic representatives to Bulgaria resided in Belgrade and Bucharest from July 1955 until April 1970. India opened its Embassy in Sofia in May 1970.[6]

Indira Gandhi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Bulgaria in October 1967. Todor Zhivkov was the first Bulgarian Prime Minister to visit India in January 1969.[6] Gandhi visited Bulgaria again in 1981. Presidents V.V. Giri visited Bulgaria in 1976, Sanjiva Reddy in 1980, S. D. Sharma in 1994, and A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in 2003. Bulgarian President Todor Zhivkov visited India in 1976 and 1983, and President Peter Stoyanov visited in 1998. Prime Minister Stanko Todorov visited India in 1974 and 1980, and Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev visited in 2007.[4][5]

The first bilateral protocol for trade exchange was signed between the two countries in New Delhi on 16 September 1956, and the first agreement for economic, scientific and technical cooperation was signed in Sofia on 2 May 1967. A Joint Commission for Economic, Scientific & Technical Cooperation (with sub-branches for machine-building, electronics, agriculture, chemistry, defense industry, food industry, etc.) was established in November 1973. In 1975, the first cultural agreement between Bulgaria and India.[6]

Bilateral trade between Bulgaria and India totaled $218.3 million in 2014.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Bulgarian honorary consuls in the countries of accreditation". www.mfa.bg. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  2. ↑ "Ministry of Foreign Affairs - About us". www.mfa.bg. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  3. ↑ Indian embassy in Sofia
  4. 1 2 3 "Bilateral - Embassy of India, Sofia (Bulgaria)". www.indembsofia.org. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  5. 1 2 "India – Bulgaria Relations" (PDF). mea.gov.in. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 Baev, Jordan. "Accompanying Note on Indian-Bulgarian Relations". www.php.isn.ethz.ch. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
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