Tuesday, May 20, 2008
HIS Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, is scheduled to arrive today in New Delhi on a landmark four-day state visit to India, which will see further strengthening of friendly relations between the countries.
On arrival, His Majesty is expected to be welcomed by the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahmed. Ahmed will also be the Minister in attendance during His Majesty's visit to the subcontinent.
According to observers, the visit is very significant as it will open new vistas in bilateral cooperation as His Majesty is visiting India after more than a decade. His Majesty last visited India in 1992.
On morning of May 21, His Majesty will attend the official welcoming ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan (Presidential Palace). There His Majesty will be greeted by President Mrs Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and other senior Indian ministers. His Majesty will also inspect a guard of honour.
From there His Majesty will proceed to the Raj Ghat memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, where the monarch will pay a floral tribute to India's father of nation. In his previous visit in 1992 His Majesty the Sultan also paid a visit to the memorial, planting a tree at the site which still stands today.
Later in the day His Majesty will meet Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh at his official residence and hold discussions on issues in various fields.
In the evening the Indian President will host a state banquet in His Majesty's honour.
The trip will also see His Majesty visiting the southern Indian city and capital of Karnataka province, Bangalore, the hub of Indian IT companies and defence and strategic research organisations. There, His Majesty will stop by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and will witness a satellite tracking demonstration.
His Majesty's other engagement in Bangalore is a visit to the Parachute Regiment Training Centre, where His Majesty will witness anti-terrorist drills, parachute demonstration and combat shooting.
The Governor of Karnataka, Rameshwar Thakur will also call on His Majesty.
The visit will also witness the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on bilateral investment and protection agreement (BIPA). The MoU is expected to give a further boost to trade and commerce ties between the two countries with regard to Small and Medium enterprises in Brunei. The other MoU will be on expanding cooperation in ICT sector.
The Brunei Times
On arrival, His Majesty is expected to be welcomed by the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahmed. Ahmed will also be the Minister in attendance during His Majesty's visit to the subcontinent.
According to observers, the visit is very significant as it will open new vistas in bilateral cooperation as His Majesty is visiting India after more than a decade. His Majesty last visited India in 1992.
On morning of May 21, His Majesty will attend the official welcoming ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan (Presidential Palace). There His Majesty will be greeted by President Mrs Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and other senior Indian ministers. His Majesty will also inspect a guard of honour.
From there His Majesty will proceed to the Raj Ghat memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, where the monarch will pay a floral tribute to India's father of nation. In his previous visit in 1992 His Majesty the Sultan also paid a visit to the memorial, planting a tree at the site which still stands today.
Later in the day His Majesty will meet Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh at his official residence and hold discussions on issues in various fields.
In the evening the Indian President will host a state banquet in His Majesty's honour.
The trip will also see His Majesty visiting the southern Indian city and capital of Karnataka province, Bangalore, the hub of Indian IT companies and defence and strategic research organisations. There, His Majesty will stop by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and will witness a satellite tracking demonstration.
His Majesty's other engagement in Bangalore is a visit to the Parachute Regiment Training Centre, where His Majesty will witness anti-terrorist drills, parachute demonstration and combat shooting.
The Governor of Karnataka, Rameshwar Thakur will also call on His Majesty.
The visit will also witness the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on bilateral investment and protection agreement (BIPA). The MoU is expected to give a further boost to trade and commerce ties between the two countries with regard to Small and Medium enterprises in Brunei. The other MoU will be on expanding cooperation in ICT sector.
The Brunei Times