New Delhi. Jan. 7: Prime Minister Narendra Modi had just completed an exchange of books with the first Goan-origin Prime Minister of Portugal, Antonio Costa - gifts both sides had prepared for.

Then, the visiting Portuguese Prime Minister grabbed a black package from an aide, and unpacked a gift even Indian protocol officers weren't ready for: the national jersey of Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo.

India and Portugal today inked a series of pacts aimed at strengthening their strategic partnership - including an agreement on deepening defence cooperation - and committed to lifting their annual bilateral trade from an abysmal $700 million.

Modi thanked Costa for supporting India's bid to join the UN Security Council as a permanent member, and to become a member of technology control regimes like the Nuclear Suppliers' Group.

But it was football that catalysed a camaraderie between Costa - a known fan of the sport - and Modi - whose interest in the sport wasn't much known till now - today, officials said.

"We know you are an avid fan of football," Modi said, addressing Costa in a media statement after their meeting here. "And Portugal's excellence in the sport, and the rising interest in football in India, can form a bedrock of our future partnership."

It is unclear whether Modi is familiar with the exploits of Ronaldo, who won his fourth Ballon d'Or - the sport's most prestigious award - this year, and is widely rated one of the two best players of his generation: alongside Argentina's Lionel Messi.

But Modi, officials said, had been briefed about Costa's love for the sport, and had advised the sports ministry to examine the possibility of cooperation in football between the countries before the visit of the Portuguese Prime Minister.

On Saturday, India and Portugal decided, officials said, to formalise as a priority a pact that would facilitate greater government-to-government cooperation in sports, with an emphasis on football.

Modi and Costa also agreed to enhance exchanges between Indian and Portuguese football clubs.

"The two leaders welcomed the ongoing efforts to institutionalise collaboration between football clubs and associations in both countries to better harness sports talent and collaborate in training and exchange of school students and coaches and holding of soccer camps," a joint statement issued by the two leaders after their meeting said.