Slovakia: Indian diaspora says PM Modi's visit is a 'positive sign'
Bratislava, June 13
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official visit to Slovakia, the Indian diaspora expressed their eagerness for growing opportunities calling the visit "a positive sign".
"It's a kind of privilege and historical moment for us, and we are so happy that PM Narendra Modiji is... spending some time for us,.. a large number of our people are already working in skill sectors, especially in automobiles and other sectors and in future, it will grow more. It's a very positive sign. This will create more opportunities for Indians," Avinash Vijay Kumar, a member of the Indian diaspora who has been living in Slovakia for nearly 18 years, told IANS.
"We (Indian diaspora in Slovakia) have good visibility, wherever we go, now we have a very good visibility, and we are thankful to our Prime Minister (Modi) because he made this. It's kind of a proud moment for us," Kumar added.
"We (Indian diaspora in Slovakia) feel very proud of the respect that he (PM Modi) gets all over the world," another member of India diaspora added.
Slovak President Peter Pelligrini said on Saturday 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 said while reposting PM Modi's post on X.
India's Ambassador to Slovakia Apoorva Srivastava said on Saturday that PM Modi's trip to Slovakia will not only strengthen political relations, but also economic security and people-to-people contacts.
"This is a historic and important trip. This is the first trip by an Indian Prime Minister since the country's Independence in 1993. This is very important in itself. This visit will not only strengthen our political relations, but also economic security and people-to-people contacts," Ambassador Apoorva Srivastava told IANS in an interview.
"If you look at the last two-three years, the economic relations between India and Slovakia have increased a lot and very rapidly. In 2024, for the first time, we crossed the threshold of 1 billion Euros. And in 2025, we reached 1.6 billion Euros. So you can see how fast it is moving forward," she added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Great to see Indian PM visiting Slovakia after independence in 1993. This should have happened earlier, but better late than never. Hope this creates more jobs and opportunities for our skilled workers in Europe.
As someone who follows Indo-European relations, this is a significant milestone. Slovakia is an important automotive hub in Europe, and Indian professionals are making their mark there. The trade numbers speak for themselves.
Proud moment indeed! But I hope this visit translates to tangible benefits for ordinary Indians, not just the diaspora. Our workers should get fair wages and proper working conditions in these skill sectors. Let's keep an eye on the follow-through.
Interesting to see this growth in India-Slovakia trade. The 60% jump from 1 billion to 1.6 billion euros is remarkable. It shows that Indian talent and products are increasingly valued in Central Europe. 👏
The diaspora's happiness is understandable. But let's also remember that India's foreign policy should be about mutual benefit, not just photo ops. Hope this visit results in concrete agreements on technology transfer and education exchanges.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.