Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s historic visit to Croatia on June 18, 2025, marked a significant milestone in India-Croatia relations, being the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Central European nation.

During his day-long stay in Zagreb, PM Modi held wide-ranging delegation-level talks with his Croatian counterpart, Andrej Plenkovic, focusing on enhancing and diversifying the bilateral partnership across multiple sectors.

The two leaders reviewed and identified key areas of cooperation, including trade and investment, science and technology, defence and security, space, cultural exchanges, and people-to-people ties. Both sides recognised substantial potential for collaboration in infrastructure, ports and shipping, digitalisation, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, tourism, and hospitality.

The talks reflected a shared commitment to building resilient supply chains and deepening economic engagement, with an emphasis on early conclusion of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement to further these objectives.

A major outcome of the visit was the signing of four Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) covering cooperation in agriculture and allied sectors, science and technology, a cultural exchange program, and the extension of the Hindi Chair at the University of Zagreb. These agreements are expected to foster joint research, knowledge exchange, and greater linguistic and educational outreach, strengthening the cultural and academic bonds between the two nations.

Cultural diplomacy featured prominently, with PM Modi highlighting the increasing popularity of Indian culture, Indology, and Yoga in Croatia. He conveyed greetings to yoga enthusiasts ahead of International Yoga Day and underscored the importance of people-to-people ties as the foundation of mutual goodwill. The extension of the Hindi Chair at the University of Zagreb until 2030 and the new five-year cultural exchange program were cited as key steps in this direction.

Defence cooperation was another focal point, with both leaders agreeing to formulate a long-term Defence Cooperation Plan. This plan will include joint training, military exchanges, and industry-level partnerships, building on the existing defence MoU signed two years ago. The leaders also committed to deepening innovation and entrepreneurship through the India-Croatia Startup Bridge Initiative, especially in areas such as artificial intelligence, green technology, and robotics.

On the geopolitical front, PM Modi and PM Plenkovic discussed regional and global developments, reaffirming their commitment to peaceful conflict resolution through dialogue and diplomacy. PM Modi thanked Croatia for its solidarity following the terror attacks in Pahalgam and condemned terrorism as a threat to humanity.

Both leaders reiterated shared values of democracy, pluralism, and the rule of law, and agreed to work together to unlock the full potential of the India-Croatia partnership within the broader context of the India-EU Strategic Partnership.

PM Modi’s visit was marked by warm gestures, including a ceremonial welcome and personal reception by PM Plenkovic at the airport. The visit concluded with a joint statement emphasising the historic nature of the occasion and the resolve to accelerate the pace of bilateral ties, opening a new chapter in India-Croatia relations.

Based On ANI Report