New Delhi, Apr 30: As the UPA continues to consult its allies on who should be India's next President, Pratibha Patil on Sunday embarked on her last overseas tour as the Head of State.

Patil left for the Seychelles and South Africa. This will be her 22nd overseas visit. She has dismissed criticism over the large number of her foreign visits, insisting that they were not on her own volition but at the request of the government of India to promote India's relations.

"The Government wanted me to visit two-three more countries, but it was not possible due to paucity of time," she told reporters accompanying her in her state visits to Seychelles and South Africa.

She said that for this, it was "very necessary" to make new friends and promote ties with the old ones.
Asked as to how would she describe her 22 foreign visits so far, she remarked that they have been "very successful" in promoting India's growing image abroad and strengthen the country's ties with those nations which she visited.