Onlykashmir.in News Desk
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday elevated India’s bilateral relationship with Slovakia to the level of a Comprehensive Partnership and oversaw the signing of 11 agreements spanning defence, digital technology, labour migration, higher education and quantum communication, during a landmark state visit to Bratislava that marked the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Central European nation.
The agreements emerged from substantive talks between Prime Minister Modi and his Slovak counterpart Robert Fico, and covered a broad range of strategic and economic priorities. A Letter of Intent on defence cooperation was finalised to provide fresh momentum to joint development and production in the defence sector. A Memorandum of Understanding on digital technology was signed to unlock cooperation in digital public infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and innovation-led collaboration. The two sides also signed an MOU on labour migration to facilitate the orderly and safe movement of skilled Indian professionals to Slovakia, and expressed their intention to work towards a Social Security Agreement to protect the welfare of workers engaged in cross-border mobility.
Both leaders agreed to work urgently towards the earliest implementation of the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement. Prime Minister Modi conveyed India’s appreciation for Slovakia’s support in advancing the FTA negotiations, which he described as a milestone that would significantly expand bilateral economic engagement and open opportunities for industries, startups and traders in both countries. Slovak Prime Minister Fico described the India-EU FTA as one of the most ambitious trade agreements ever signed.
Modi also announced the establishment of an India Chair on Artificial Intelligence at a Slovak university, emphasising that the future of AI must be anchored in innovation, trust, responsibility and human dignity.
On the cultural dimension of the bilateral relationship, the Prime Minister cited the translation of India’s ancient Upanishads into Slovak as a symbol of the deep civilisational connect between the two nations, and noted the meaningful contribution of the Indian diaspora in Slovakia to the country’s economy and society.
Slovak Prime Minister Fico, in his joint press statement, called for India’s permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council, praised India’s advances in digitisation and artificial intelligence, and congratulated Prime Minister Modi on becoming the longest-serving Prime Minister in India’s history.
