High-level Irish ministerial delegation to visit India soon: Officials

New Delhi, Mar 12 (PTI) A high-level Irish ministerial delegation led by James Lawless is set to embark on a "significant" trade visit to India soon, aiming to strengthen the long-standing ties between the two countries, officials said on Wednesday.

As part of Ireland's global outreach celebrating its national day -- St Patrick's Day 2025 -- the delegation led by Lawless will engage in a series of meetings and events across Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai from March 15 to March 22, the officials said.

Education and research collaborations will be the central theme of the visit, as the delegation will engage with top Indian universities and policymakers to enhance student mobility programmes, faculty exchanges, and joint curriculum development, they said.

Discussions will also take place on forging new memoranda of understanding (MoUs) to advance bilateral cooperation in higher education, they added.

"To strengthen the long-standing ties between Ireland and India, an Irish delegation led by Lawless, minister for further and higher education, research, innovation and science, is set to embark on a significant trade visit to India.

"As India cements its position as one of the fastest-growing global economies, this visit reinforces Ireland's commitment to fostering stronger bilateral ties," a senior official at the Irish Embassy here said.

The visit will underscore Ireland's "long-term commitment" to fostering robust economic and educational ties with India, paving the way for "an era of enhanced collaboration", the officials said.

India stands as one of Ireland's most significant economic partners in the Asia-Pacific region, playing a pivotal role in strengthening bilateral trade and investment.

Indian investments in Europe currently rank third among the Asia-Pacific nations, contributing to 16 per cent of the total FDI projects from the region, the officials said.

Indian investments in Ireland span across IT services, fin-tech, life sciences, and manufacturing.

Indian companies are increasingly leveraging Ireland's strategic position as a gateway to Europe, reinforcing the country's attractiveness as a business destination, they said.

Emphasising the enduring partnership between the two countries, Ireland's Ambassador to India, Kevin Kelly, said, "The two nations share a dynamic and evolving partnership that has flourished for over 75 years, built on the strong foundation of education, research, innovation and strong people-to-people cultural ties." As Ireland marks St Patrick's Day (March 17) with over 30 state representatives delivering its message across 90 cities in 40 countries, the visit of Lawless to India underscores the "growing significance of this dynamic partnership", the officials said. PTI KND ARI