Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday concluded his visit to Slovakia, describing it as “historic and productive” and expressing confidence that the outcomes of the trip would further strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries.
In a special diplomatic gesture reflecting the warmth of India-Slovakia relations, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico personally saw off Prime Minister Modi at the conclusion of the visit.
In a post on X, PM Modi thanked the Slovak government and its people for their hospitality and warm reception.
“I am concluding my historic and productive visit to Slovakia. The outcomes of this visit will significantly contribute to strengthening bilateral relations between our countries. Stronger trade relations will bring significant benefits, especially for our youth and future generations,” the Prime Minister said.
“I thank the government of the Slovak Republic and its citizens for their warm welcome and hospitality. I am also very grateful to Prime Minister Fico for personally coming to see me off,” he added.
During the visit, Slovak President Peter Pellegrini conferred Slovakia’s highest civilian honour, The Order of the White Double Cross (1st Class), on Prime Minister Modi. The award marked the 33rd international honour bestowed upon him by a foreign nation.
The visit also witnessed the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at deepening cooperation in education, research, talent mobility and technology.
The agreements were formalised through a joint statement issued following delegation-level talks between Prime Minister Modi and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Bratislava. The initiatives focus on strengthening institutional partnerships, promoting talent mobility and enhancing collaboration in higher education and cultural exchanges.
Among the key agreements was a Memorandum of Understanding on labour migration, intended to facilitate the safe, orderly and legal movement of workers while improving information-sharing between the two countries’ regulatory authorities.
India and Slovakia also agreed to expand economic engagement by strengthening the role of the India-Slovakia Joint Economic Committee (JEC) in identifying and promoting high-potential areas of cooperation.
According to the joint statement, the two sides committed to enhancing trade and investment ties across sectors such as automotive manufacturing, electronics and advanced technologies.
“The leaders agreed to further strengthen the role of the India-Slovakia Joint Economic Committee in identifying and promoting high-potential areas of economic cooperation between the two countries,” the statement said.
The two countries also agreed to explore opportunities to significantly increase bilateral trade and two-way investment by leveraging Slovakia’s established industrial base and India’s scale, innovation ecosystem and technological capabilities.
Following the conclusion of his Slovakia visit, Prime Minister Modi departed for France to participate in the G7 Summit.
(With inputs from ANI)
