India, Slovakia elevate ties to ‘Comprehensive Partnership’

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a State Visit to Slovakia on June 15.

• The visit is the first by an Indian PM to Slovakia since its independence in 1993.

• The visit follows President Droupadi Murmu’s State Visit to Slovakia in April 2025 and Slovak President Peter Pellegrini’s visit to India for the AI Impact Summit in February 2026.

• Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1993, India and Slovakia have developed a traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation based on trust, equality and mutual respect.

• PM Modi and his Slovak counterpart Robert Fico agreed to elevate the relationship to a ‘Comprehensive Partnership’.

• The two PMs reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations, including trade and investment, defence and security, space, civil nuclear, renewable energy, digital innovation, academic exchanges, culture and talent mobility. 

• They also explored avenues for collaboration in newer areas such as new and emerging technologies, AI and supercomputers.

List of outcomes of the meeting:

i) Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of labour migration to facilitate mobility and promote the exchange of information between the relevant authorities of India and Slovakia.

ii) Letter of Intent on defence cooperation between the two sides, which will foster mutually beneficial partnerships in the defence sector.

iii) MoU on digital technologies, which will provide a structured framework for deepening cooperation in the digital domain.

iv) MoU between the respective ministries of education in the field of higher education and research, which would provide a structured framework for strengthening academic linkages and fostering long-term institutional partnerships.

v) MoU on audio-visual creation, which will provide a structured framework for collaboration in film and media production and further enhance cultural connectivity between the two countries.

vi) Establishment of first ever ICCR Chair in artificial intelligence at the Technical University of Kosice.

vii) MoU in the field of quantum communication and critical infrastructure protection.

viii) Agreement between Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and Slovak Technical University for cooperation in student exchange programs, scholarships and research collaboration.

ix) Tourism cooperation between association of tour operators.

x) Agreement on scientific cooperation between the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) and the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS).

xi) Agreement to establish a mechanism for regular consular consultations between their respective consular authorities to facilitate cooperation on consular matters.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)