Narendra Modi becomes the first Indian PM to visit Slovakia in 33 years, bilateral talks to focus on trade, technology and investment: Details

The visit will focus on strengthening cooperation in trade, investment, technology, manufacturing and innovation.
PM Narendra Modi arrived in Slovakia (Image via X/narendramodi)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Bratislava on Monday, 15th June, for a historic visit to Slovakia, becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to travel to the Central European country since it became independent in 1993. The two-day visit is expected to give a major boost to relations between India and Slovakia, with both countries looking to expand cooperation in trade, investment, technology, innovation, automobile manufacturing and railway infrastructure.

Soon after reaching Bratislava, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the importance of the visit and expressed optimism about strengthening ties between the two nations.

“This visit provides an opportunity to deepen India-Slovakia relations and explore new avenues of cooperation. Looking forward to productive meetings with President Pellegrini and Prime Minister Fico,” Modi posted on X.

The Indian Prime Minister was welcomed at the airport by Slovakia’s Foreign and European Affairs Minister, Juraj Blanár. He was also given a traditional bread-and-salt welcome, a long-standing Slovak custom that symbolises hospitality, respect and goodwill.

The visit began on a cultural note, with Slovak artists performing Vande Mataram.

One of the standout moments was a performance by a local Slovak musical group that sang ancient Sanskrit chants, drawing praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for preserving and celebrating India’s spiritual traditions in the heart of Europe.

Focus on strengthening bilateral ties

During his stay in Bratislava, Modi is scheduled to hold separate meetings with Slovak President Peter Pellegrini and Prime Minister Robert Fico.

The discussions are expected to focus on strengthening economic ties and creating new opportunities for cooperation. Officials from both sides are likely to discuss ways to increase trade and investment, promote business partnerships, and expand collaboration in technology, manufacturing, transport infrastructure and innovation.

India and Slovakia are also expected to explore opportunities in sectors such as automobile production, railway manufacturing and emerging technologies. New Delhi sees the visit as an important step in deepening engagement with the European Union, of which Slovakia is a member.

Part of growing India-Slovakia engagement

The visit comes after several high-level exchanges between the two countries in recent years. President Droupadi Murmu visited Slovakia in April 2025, while President Pellegrini travelled to India earlier this year to attend the AI Impact Summit.

Officials believe Modi’s visit will help elevate the relationship further and strengthen India’s presence in Central Europe. Apart from bilateral issues, the leaders are also expected to discuss regional and global developments, including economic security, geopolitical challenges and cooperation in international forums.

Next Stops: G7 Summit and Viva Tech

After completing his visit to Slovakia, Prime Minister Modi will travel to France to attend the G7 Summit on 16th and 17th June. He is expected to hold discussions with world leaders on issues such as global economic growth, international cooperation and artificial intelligence, besides holding several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit.

The final leg of his foreign tour is scheduled to be in Paris on 18th June, where he will participate in VivaTech alongside French President Emmanuel Macron. The event is regarded as one of Europe’s largest technology and innovation conferences and is expected to focus heavily on emerging technologies and AI.

Written by OpIndia Staff
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