"Historic opportunity": Slovak envoy hails PM Modi's first-ever visit to Slovakia
New Delhi, June 12
Slovak Ambassador to India Robert Maxian welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming state visit to Slovakia from June 14-16, calling it a "historic opportunity" to further strengthen ties between the two nations.
The visit will mark the first-ever trip by an Indian Prime Minister to Slovakia since its independence in 1993.
In a video, Maxian said, "Dear Fellow Citizens of India, We welcome our Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi Ji. The Prime Minister's visit to Slovakia is a historic opportunity in the relations between India and Slovakia. We hope that this visit of his will further strengthen the relations between India and Slovakia. Namaskar Thank you Jai Hind."
The visit follows President Droupadi Murmu's state visit to Slovakia in April 2025 and Slovak President Peter Pellegrini's visit to India for the AI Impact Summit in February 2026.
Prime Minister Modi will arrive in Bratislava on June 14 and will be accorded a ceremonial welcome at the historic castle the following day before holding delegation-level and one-on-one talks with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.
During his visit, PM Modi will also meet the Slovak President Peter Pellegrini at the Presidential Palace, where a state banquet will be hosted in his honour.
Earlier, Maxian said defence cooperation between India and Slovakia has evolved over the years, with both countries now working closely.
He noted that while Slovakia has been a long-time supplier of defence technologies to India, India's growing domestic defence production has also changed the nature of the partnership, and even Slovakia is now buying defence technologies from India.
Speaking to ANI on Tuesday, Maxian said, "Defence is a very specific area of cooperation. Slovakia has been a solid supplier of defence technologies to India since 1993. We have been one of the biggest suppliers of military hardware to India, and we have been working with the public sector units, the Indian Ordnance Factories and the Ministry of Defence. After 30 years, the scenario has been slightly changed due to the so-called indigenisation."
"The domestic production of military hardware in India is very significant, and now we are also cooperating in the private sector; cooperation is going very well. There are a number of projects we are cooperating on jointly, and a very interesting element of our cooperation in defence that even Slovakia buys defence technologies from India," Maxian said.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally, some real diplomatic movement with smaller European nations. Slovakia buying defence tech from India now - that's the kind of reverse engineering we want to see! Makes you proud. But I hope the visit also focuses on trade, education, and cultural exchange beyond defence. 🤔
As someone from the US but married to a Slovak, this is so heartwarming to see! The Slovak people are genuinely warm and welcoming. PM Modi going to the Bratislava Castle for a ceremonial welcome is such a nice touch. Hope this opens more doors for Indian students and professionals in Slovakia.
Honestly, while this looks good on paper, I hope we're not just doing photo-ops. Yes, Slovakia buying Indian defence tech is a positive sign, but we need concrete outcomes - joint ventures, technology transfers, and student exchange programs. Let's see the MoUs signed after this visit. Actions speak louder than words, ji!
Love how the Slovak ambassador says "Shri Narendra Modi Ji" - such respect! This is why India's soft power is growing. From being a buyer of defence tech to now selling to them, it shows our 'Make in India' is working. Jai Hind! 🇮🇳🇸🇰
I like that there's continuity here - President Murmu went first, now PM Modi. Shows diplomatic consistency. But can we talk about the 'AI Impact Summit' in February 2026? That seems far away for such a dated article... Anyway, good to see India-Slovakia relations growing. 🌿
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