Indian President Murmu arrives in Suriname on 2-nation tour

Indian President Droupadi Murmu# arrived at Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport in Paramaribo, Suriname. She was received by the Chief of Protocol of Suriname and the Indian ambassador to the country.
The President is scheduled to hold a meeting with Suriname President Chandrikapersad Santokhi. The President on June 3 left the national capital for a six-day visit to Suriname and Serbia.
This is the president's maiden visit to Suriname and also her first state visit since assuming office in July 2022.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Secretary (East) Saurabh Kumar informed that President Murmu will travel to Suriname and Serbia from June 4 to 9. The President will hold official talks with Suriname President Santokhi.
Saurabh Kumar, during the briefing, said the President "will participate in a number of activities to commemorate the arrival of Indians in Suriname and visit the sites associated with their history in that country.

"The Indian diaspora in Suriname acts as a living bridge between the two countries. Despite the passage of time, the diaspora has preserved the customs and traditions it carried from India while adding local flavours," he added.
In the next leg of her tour, Murmu will visit Serbia, which will start from June 7. She received an invitation from Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.
President Murmu's visit to Serbia comes at a time when tensions have been rising in the past week in Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Several clashes are being reported with protesters over the installation of ethnically Albanian mayors in a disputed election.

(ANI)