Panaji: Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa on Wednesday expressed keen interest in extending joint research programmes between the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) and Portuguese research institutions to improve understanding of oceanographic processes and utilisation of its resources.

Costa, who is in Goa on a three-day visit along with a high-level delegation from Portugal, met top officials of the National Institute of Oceanography near Panaji.

"He also agreed to extend the collaborative research programmes and also expressed willingness to initiate new programmes in the field of marine robotics, global navigation systems and microbial biotechnology," an official source said.-Agency