President Ram Nath Kovind will embark on a three-nation tour from March 27 to April 2.
He will begin the tour with Croatia. This is the first state visit from India to the East European nation. There was a state visit from Croatia to India in 2002, and in 2010, former vice president Mohammad Hamid Ansari had visited that country.
Kovind's visit is aimed at furthering India's renewed interest in Latin America.
The second country that the president will visit is Bolivia, marking the first head of state visit to the
landlocked country, rich in lithium and gold. So far, leaders of the two countries have met at multi-lateral platforms. India mainly exports pharmaceutical and automobiles to Bolivia and helps in training of diplomats.
On March 30, Kovind will head to Chile. The two countries will mark 70 years of diplomatic relations this year. Former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet visited India ten years ago to mark 60 years of diplomatic relations. There have been no high level visits from either side since then.
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Chile joined the India-led International Solar Alliance, and renewable energy will be one of areas of focus during the talks, besides investment and strengthening economic ties.
The president will make a transit halt in South Africa on the return leg, where he will interact with the diaspora.
With these visits, the president would have visited a total of 20 countries. This will be his first state visit this year, and his ninth tour so far.
The tour will also mark the furthest the president has travelled from New Delhi, Santiago being 17,000km from New Delhi.
