• The Union Cabinet approved a proposal to open a new Indian mission in Lithuania this year to further deepen the strategic cooperation with the Baltic nation.

• The opening of the mission in Lithuania will help India expand its political, strategic and economic engagements with that country.

• It will provide for more sustained political outreach and help garner support for India's foreign policy objectives.

• Enhancement of India’s diplomatic presence will provide market access for Indian companies and bolster exports of goods and services.

• The move is significant as China has downgraded its diplomatic ties with Lithuania, expressing strong dissatisfaction with the Baltic State after Taiwan opened a de facto embassy there.

India-Lithuania relations

• Lithuanian language is considered to be the oldest surviving Indo-European language.

• India recognised Lithuania (along with the other Baltic States of Latvia and Estonia) in September 1991 after acceptance of their independence by the erstwhile USSR. 

• Diplomatic relations were established with Lithuania on February 25, 1992. 

• Lithuania opened its embassy in New Delhi on July 1, 2008.

• An Honorary Consul of India in Vilnius has been operational since October 2014.

• India and Lithuania enjoy cordial relations that are marked by close cultural linkages. 

• The economic and commercial ties have grown in recent years and the bilateral trade between India and Lithuania stood at $485 million in 2020-21. 

• Major items of import from India include pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, textiles and consumer goods. Major items of export to India include machinery and mechanical appliances, high tech optical instruments, base metals and articles of base metal, chemicals, sulphur, lime and cement. 

• Indian investment in Lithuania includes Indorama Group’s investment of over $200 million in a manufacturing plant and HCL Technologies which has taken over the IT infrastructure services of Barclays in Vilnius employing over 500 people. Indorama has set up a plant in the Klaipeda Economic Zone to manufacture plastic resin. Indian investment is increasing  in Lithuania.

The Baltic States 

The Baltic States — Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — share common features and a similar history. These three countries at the EU border with Russia regained their independence from the Soviet Union in the early nineties before joining the EU in 2004 and more recently, the euro area. These countries are leaders in niche technologies.

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