Prime Minister Narendra Modi has concluded his historic and first-ever official visit to Croatia and is on his way to New Delhi. Packed with high-level engagements, the visit marked a significant elevation in India-Croatia ties and set the stage for future strategic collaborations.
Prime Minister Modi held wide-ranging delegation-level talks with his Croatian counterpart, Andrej Plenković, at Banski Dvori during his day-long visit to the central and southeast European country. Both leaders issued a joint press statement, emphasising their commitment to global peace, democratic values, and expanding cooperation across trade, technology, and culture.
Prime Minister Modi strongly advocated peaceful resolution of conflicts, stating that whether in Europe or Asia, solutions cannot be found on the battlefield. He said Dialogue and diplomacy are the only viable paths forward. Mr Modi also reaffirmed India’s consistent stand on respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations.
Condemning terrorism as the enemy of humanity, Mr Modi thanked the Croatian leadership and people for standing in solidarity with India following the terrorist attack on April 22 in Pahalgam. He said such support in difficult times reflects the depth of mutual trust and friendship.
Both leaders also agreed to deepen bilateral trade and build resilient, dependable supply chains. New areas identified for enhanced cooperation include Pharmaceuticals, Agriculture, Information Technology, Clean and Digital Technologies, Renewable Energy, and Semiconductors. Mr Modi highlighted growing cooperation in shipbuilding, cybersecurity, and defence. A long-term Defence Cooperation Plan will be formulated to include joint training, military exchanges, and industry-level partnerships.
In a major step to strengthen ties, both nations signed four Memoranda of Understanding. First MoU has been inked for cooperation in the field of Agriculture and Allied Sectors. The second MoU has been signed for the Cultural Exchange Programme for the years 2026-2030. The third one is the Programme of Cooperation in the field of Science & Technology between the concerned Ministries of the two countries for the period 2025-2029. The fourth MoU is regarding the establishment of the Hindi Chair at the University of Zagreb.
