site.btaDeputy PM Zafirov and Indian Ambassador to Bulgaria Arun Kumar Sahu Discuss Opportunities for Deepening Strategic Partnership

Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov and Indian Ambassador to Bulgaria Arun Kumar Sahu discussed the opportunities for deepening the strategic partnership between the two countries, the government information service said on Wednesday.

"India is a key partner for Bulgaria in the Asia-Pacific region. Expanding our bilateral relations is among Bulgaria's key foreign policy priorities for the region. We are ready to continue working with the Indian side to further strengthen and give more substance to our traditional cooperation," Zafirov was quoted as saying in the press release. The deputy prime minister said that Bulgaria and India should take advantage of their complementary competitive advantages and strengthen their economic exchanges and synergies, including in the context of the prospects for an EU-India Free Trade Agreement by the end of 2025.

He expressed his gratitude to the Government of India for providing full scholarships to Bulgarian professionals in various fields, including under the India Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations of the Ministry of External Affairs. "We appreciate the Embassy's commitment to these programs and their Bulgarian alumni," Zafirov noted.

Other key topics touched upon included parliamentary exchanges, the potential for unconventional energy, opportunities for technology transfer and innovation, and potential defence cooperation.