At the invitation of His Excellency Mr. Arun Kumar Sahu, Ambassador of the Republic of India to Bulgaria, the Vice-President of BAS, Prof. Emmanuel Moutafov, took part in a working lunch with the Minister of External Affairs of India, Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, during his official visit to Bulgaria on June 10, 2026.
The event also brought together the Rector of Medical University – Pleven, Prof. Dobromir Dimitrov, a representative of the Department of Indian Studies at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” and the Indo-Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce, along with representatives of the Indian diplomatic corps.
During the meeting, the role of education, culture, and scientific cooperation was highlighted as a key factor in strengthening bilateral relations. In this regard, Prof. Moutafov emphasized the need to restore scientific projects between BAS and the Ministry of Science and Technology to the levels seen prior to 2012 when 12 joint projects were carried out in various fields such as nuclear physics, space research, and others. He recalled that, for example, the instrument for measuring cosmic radiation on the Indian “Chandrayaan-1” mission (2008) was developed by BAS and that in India, Bulgaria’s name should not be associated solely with the arms trade. Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar added that our country was also known in India for its roses, but agreed that cooperation in the field of science must be intensified, and that conditions must be created for the faster and easier issuance of Bulgarian visas for Indian scientists and students traveling as part of the cultural and educational exchange between the two countries. Initiatives in the field of culture and the arts were also discussed; in this part of the conversation, Prof. Moutafov presented his publications on Jain bronze altars from the Middle Ages and the 19th century to the Indian diplomats.
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is an Indian politician and diplomat. He is India’s longest-serving Minister of External Affairs (since 2019). He holds a degree in chemistry and a Ph.D. in political science. He has worked for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs for 38 years, serving as ambassador to the Czech Republic (2001–2004), China (2009–2013), the United States (2014–2015), and others.
