Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday departed for Croatia after concluding his visit to Canada, where he participated in the 51st Group of Seven (G7) Summit in Kananaskis.
This marks the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Croatia, a significant milestone in the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
India and Croatia share a cordial and steadily growing relationship underpinned by shared values, democratic institutions, and a common commitment to international cooperation. Since Croatia’s independence in the early 1990s, India has consistently supported the European nation’s sovereignty and development, with diplomatic relations evolving into a multi-dimensional partnership encompassing political dialogue, trade, culture, education, and people-to-people exchanges.
Croatia, which joined the European Union in 2013, has in recent years emerged as an important partner for India in the Central European region. Its accession to the Schengen Area and adoption of the Euro in January 2023 have further aligned the country with key European institutions, creating fresh avenues for collaboration.
Trade and investment trajectory
Economic engagement between the two countries, while modest in scale, has shown incremental progress. In 2024, India’s exports to Croatia stood at USD 251.6 million, comprising a diverse basket of goods including ceramic and pharmaceutical products, engineering items, chemicals, and agricultural commodities such as oilseeds and tobacco. Croatia’s exports to India totalled USD 54.4 million, largely in the form of machinery, wood and paper products, rubber, and refined vegetable oils, including soybean oil.
Between 2001 and 2023, Indian investments in Croatia reached €44.5 million, whereas Croatian investments in India stood at approximately €5.5 million over the same period.
People-to-people connect
An important pillar of the bilateral relationship is the growing Indian diaspora in Croatia. As of March 2025, over 17,000 Indian nationals were residing in the country, including a small number of permanent residents and Overseas Citizens of India. Bilateral mobility has been aided by reciprocal arrangements such as visa-free travel for diplomatic and official passport holders for up to 30 days, facilitating greater high-level exchanges and official visits.
Educational and cultural cooperation has also grown in recent years, with increased academic mobility, interest in Indian languages and traditions among Croatians, and rising Indian student enrolments in Croatian institutions.
PM Modi’s visit is expected to lend new momentum to bilateral ties and provide an opportunity for both sides to chart a course for deeper engagement across political, economic, and cultural domains.