Ansari to sign social security pact with Czech Republic

In Croatia, agreements on healthcare, culture will be signed

Vice-President Hamid Ansari will sign several agreements during his six-day tour of the Czech Republic and Croatia, beginning Sunday. The visit to Croatia would be the first by a VVIP from India.

Both countries have supported India's permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council and its bid for a non-permanent seat for the 2011-12 term.

Mr. Ansari is slated to sign a Social Security Agreement with the Czech Republic, under which “citizens working in either country for less than five years would be exempted from social security contributions and the benefits of those who return would be carried forward. India has begun to sign such pacts with some other countries too, including Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden,” Vivek Katu, Secretary (West) in the External Affairs Ministry, told journalists here on Saturday.

‘Friendly and cooperative' ties

In the Czech Republic, Mr. Ansari will meet President Vaclav Klaus, Prime Minister Jan Fischer and President of the Senate Premysl Sobotka. He will sign agreements on cooperation in economic and social issues to strengthen the “friendly and cooperative” bilateral relationship that covers political, economic and commercial fields as well as cooperation in technology and cultural exchanges.

The bilateral trade is over $1 billion annually in the automobile, power and IT sectors. Indian scientific institutions have shown interest in cooperation with the Czech Republic in science and technology and engineering.

Mr. Ansari's will be the first high-level visit to the Czech Republic after the former President Shankar Dayal Sharma's tour in 1996.

During his Croatia tour, beginning June 9, Mr. Ansari will meet President Ivo Josipovic and Speaker of Parliament Luka Bebiæ, and sign two agreements on mutual cooperation in promotion of healthcare and culture.

Modest bilateral trade

The visit will boost trade in the sectors of energy, infrastructure, IT and tourism. The bilateral trade at present is a modest at $160 million, although Croatian scholars have shown strong interest in Indology and Indian Culture.

Mr. Ansari will be accompanied by Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Sachin Pilot and members of Parliament Tiruchi Siva (DMK), Prasanta Chatterjee (CPI-M), Maya Singh (BJP) and Mohammed Azharuddin (Congress).

A 20-member media contingent will also travel with the Vice-President.