PM Modi's historic visit will open new opportunities for cooperation: Slovak President
Bratislava, June 13
Slovak President Peter Pelligrini on Saturday stated that PM Modi's "historic" visit will open new opportunities for Slovakia-India cooperation.
"Dear Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I look forward to welcoming you in Bratislava on Monday. Your historic visit will build on our good dialogue from New Delhi and open new opportunities for Slovakia-India cooperation." President Pelligrini wrote while reposting PM Modi's post on X.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi stated: "On 14th and 15th June, I will be in Slovakia for a visit, which will be the first by an Indian Prime Minister since Slovakia's independence. I look forward to holding discussions with President Pellegrini and Prime Minister Fico in Bratislava. There will also be interactions with top business leaders. The India-EU (European Union) Free Trade Agreement (FTA) offers innumerable opportunities for strong commercial and trade ties.
PM Modi on Saturday departed on a visit to France and Slovakia, where he has a packed diplomatic itinerary that includes bilateral talks, multilateral engagements, and a strong focus on economic and cultural cooperation.
Following his French engagements, PM Modi will undertake a State Visit to Slovakia from June 14 to 16 at the invitation of his Slovak counterpart, Robert Fico.
During the Slovakia visit, PM Modi will hold delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Fico and meet President Pellegrini. The discussions are expected to explore new opportunities for cooperation in trade, investment, automobile manufacturing and railway infrastructure.
The MEA stated that the visit "will reaffirm India's commitment to strengthening its bilateral relationship with Slovakia across various sectors".
Over the past year, relations between India and Slovakia have shown steady growth marked by Presidential visits from both sides, setting the stage for the first Prime Ministerial visit to Slovakia.
Slovakia extended support in the evacuation of Indian students from Ukraine during Operation Ganga in 2022. A total of 1113 Indian and two foreign nationals were evacuated through Slovakia.
— IANS
Reader Comments
While it's good that our PM is visiting smaller European nations, I hope we don't neglect domestic issues like unemployment and farmer distress. Diplomacy is important, but so is engaging with our own citizens first. Just saying... 🤷♀️
Historic indeed! First PM visit to Slovakia since their independence—this shows India's growing global clout. The India-EU FTA could be a game-changer for our tech exports. Let's hope concrete deals come out of this visit. Well played, PM Modi! 👏
As an American living in India, I find this fascinating. India is smart to diversify its European partnerships beyond just UK/Germany. Slovakia's auto industry (think Kia, VW) could be a perfect fit for India's manufacturing ambitions. Keep going, India! 💪
Really appreciate the Slovak President's warm words. But I hope our government also focuses on improving trade with neighboring countries—SAARC nations have been neglected lately. Still, every step counts. Jai Hind!
It's wonderful to see India building bridges across Europe! 🇮🇳 The Operation Ganga reference really touched me—Slovakia helped our students stranded in Ukraine. That's the kind of solidarity we need more of. Let's hope this visit leads to stronger cultural and educational exchanges too! 🎓
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