Indian President Droupadi Murmu was honoured at the City Hall of Lisbon in Portugal yesterday. At the event, she was awarded the ‘City Key of Honour’ of Lisbon City by the Mayor of Lisbon. At the event, Murmu expressed gratitude to the mayor and the people of Lisbon for the honour. She praised Lisbon for the open-mindedness of the people and culture, as well as the city’s diversity and ethnic harmony. She remarked that the city’s achievements in technological innovation, digital infrastructure, and connectivity could serve as a basis of cooperation and exchange between India and Portugal. Following the City Hall event, Murmur attended a banquet hosted by the Portuguese President, Mr Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, at the Palacio da Ajuda, an over 200-year-old historical royal palace, to celebrate 50 years of India-Portugal bilateral relations. During the banquet, Murmur highlighted the centuries-old ties between Portugal and India and said that they ‘have left an indelible mark on our collective imagination’. She noted that both countries have influenced each other’s architecture, heritage, and cuisines. She said that both nations are experiencing growth in fields such as science, defence, research, education, and start-ups, and that these fields would be significantly benefitted by enhanced cooperation and partnership. Murmur also thanked Portugal for its role in improving relations between India and the European Union (EU). She reflected on the fact that the first India-EU Summit, which was held in 2000, took place during Portugal’s Presidency of the EU. She then pointed out that the 2021 “India-EU Plus 27 Leadership Summit also took place under the Portuguese Presidency. She concluded the speech by expressing confidence that India-Portugal bilateral ties will grow greater in the coming years, and that this growth will not only be beneficial for the two states but for the global community.