• At the invitation of Croatia’s Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, PM Narendra Modi paid an official visit to Croatia on June 18. 

• This marked the first-ever visit of an Indian PM to Croatia to strengthen the growing momentum of high-level exchanges between the two nations.

• Both leaders had a comprehensive exchange of views on further advancing bilateral relations, India-EU Strategic Partnership and cooperation in multilateral fora. 

• The visit of PM Modi has injected a fresh impetus into the bilateral partnership, highlighting the complementarities of the two economies, particularly in the areas of tourism, trade and technology. 

The two PMs welcomed the signing of:

i) MoU on agricultural cooperation.

ii) Programme of cooperation in science and technology.

iii) Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP).

iv) MoU to establish a Hindi Chair at University of Zagreb.

• In the area of science, technology and innovation, the two Prime Ministers highlighted the importance of connecting scientific institutions and universities of both countries for joint research and development. Both sides expressed their willingness to facilitate exchanges of young researchers for long-term research collaborations and encouraged networking within the scientific community to share best practices and develop applied technologies.

• Digital technology was recognised as another key area for cooperation. Croatian and Indian scientific ecosystems could benefit from strategic collaborations between incubation centres and startups working in sectors such as Healthcare-tech, agri-tech, clean-tech, artificial intelligence, machine learning and cybersecurity. 

• The two PMs agreed on the need for strengthening India-Croatia Startup Bridge in order to foster innovation and collaboration amongst startups.

• PM Modi also met the President of Croatia Zoran Milanovic in Zagreb.

India-Croatia Bilateral Relations

• Croatia proclaimed independence on June 25, 1991 after breaking away from the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

• India formally recognised Croatia in May 1992 and diplomatic relations were established on July 9, 1992. Croatia opened its Resident Mission in New Delhi in February 1995. 

• The Indian Mission in Zagreb was opened on April 28, 1996, and upgraded to ambassadorial level in January 1998.

• The earliest Croatian visitors to India were missionaries. Links have been found between the Principality of Dubrovnik and Goa, and the Church of Sao Braz was reportedly built by Croatians around 1563 in Goa. Ivan Filip Vezdin, a Croat, is credited with publishing the first printed Sanskrit grammar in 1790, and a plaque to commemorate him was unveiled in Thiruvananthapuram in 1999.

• Bilateral trade between both sides was $291.36 million in 2023-24.

• Indiaʼs exports include aluminium ingots, chemicals and fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, machinery and equipment, metals, readymade garments and textiles, rubber and plastics. 

• Indiaʼs imports include plastic & rubber machinery, instruments and appliances for measuring and testing, food products and wood products.

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