By Aroonim Bhuyan
New Delhi/Bratislava, June 15. India and Slovakia on June 15 elevated their bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive Partnership, marking a new chapter in ties during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s historic visit to Bratislava – the first by an Indian Prime Minister since Slovakia’s independence in 1993.
Following talks with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, the two leaders agreed to strengthen existing mechanisms and open new avenues of cooperation both bilaterally and in multilateral forums. The elevation of ties builds on more than three decades of diplomatic relations founded on mutual trust, equality and respect.
According to a joint statement issued following the talks, recognising the growing strategic significance of the Indo-Pacific, the two sides underlined the importance of closer cooperation in promoting regional connectivity, free trade, freedom of navigation, peaceful resolution of disputes and a rules-based international order. They reaffirmed their commitment to a free, open, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific based on international law, sovereignty and territorial integrity, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Prime Ministers Modi and Fico stressed the importance of regular high-level political engagement and agreed to intensify exchanges at governmental and parliamentary levels to enhance mutual understanding and share legislative best practices.
The two leaders reaffirmed their support for multilateralism and comprehensive reform of the United Nations, including expansion of the UN Security Council in both permanent and non-permanent categories. India welcomed Slovakia’s continued backing for its candidature for permanent membership of a reformed Security Council. Slovakia also reiterated its constructive approach towards India’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
In a move aimed at broadening regional engagement, the two countries agreed to strengthen cooperation with platforms such as the Slavkov 3, the Visegrad Group and the Three Seas Initiative, including through infrastructure projects that promote connectivity, sustainable growth and regional integration.
Defence and security cooperation emerged as a key pillar of the newly established Comprehensive Partnership. The two leaders welcomed the signing of a Letter of Intent on Defence Cooperation and agreed to encourage regular exchanges between defence establishments to explore opportunities in defence technologies, research and development, capacity building and industrial collaboration.
India and Slovakia also agreed to deepen cooperation in disaster resilience, cyber security and critical infrastructure protection. They committed to strengthening collaboration against cybercrime and safeguarding information systems from emerging quantum threats. A memorandum of cooperation on critical infrastructure protection and post-quantum cryptography was signed to facilitate these efforts.
The two leaders unequivocally condemned terrorism in all its forms, including cross-border terrorism, and strongly denounced the April 22, 2025, terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. They agreed to establish a Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism and called for decisive action against terrorists and their sponsors, while reiterating support for the early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism within the United Nations framework.
Welcoming the conclusion of negotiations on the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement in January 2026, the leaders called for its early signing and implementation to unlock new opportunities in trade and investment and strengthen critical value chains.
The two countries agreed to further enhance the role of the India-Slovakia Joint Economic Committee and explore greater two-way investments in sectors such as automotive, electronics and advanced manufacturing by leveraging Slovakia’s industrial strengths and India’s scale and technological capabilities.
Cooperation in clean energy and energy security also figured prominently in the discussions. The two sides agreed to strengthen collaboration in the transition towards net-zero emissions and promote diversification of energy sources, including nuclear energy and geothermal power, through joint research and capacity-building initiatives.
India and Slovakia agreed to enhance cooperation in water management, meteorology and hydrology, focusing on climate-resilient infrastructure, rural drinking water quality, water treatment technologies and dam safety.
Recognising connectivity as a strategic pillar of the partnership, the two sides agreed to promote joint ventures, technology transfer and skill development in the automotive and railway sectors. They also highlighted Slovakia’s role as a transport hub in Central Europe and encouraged efforts to establish direct air connectivity between the two countries.
The leaders welcomed the outcomes of the AI Impact Summit 2026 held in New Delhi and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Digital Technologies. They agreed to deepen cooperation in emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, start-ups, 5G and 6G technologies, the Internet of Things and machine-to-machine applications.
Space cooperation also featured in the discussions, with both countries agreeing to explore opportunities in satellite technologies and encourage greater interaction between research institutions and industry stakeholders.
In the healthcare sector, India and Slovakia agreed to maintain regular dialogue and expand cooperation in pharmaceuticals, digital health and public health management. They also committed to promoting more resilient and patient-centric healthcare systems through the use of digital technologies.
The two leaders placed emphasis on educational exchanges and welcomed the conclusion of a memorandum of understanding between the two countries’ education ministries to strengthen cooperation in higher education and research. They also agreed to encourage greater mobility of students, academics and researchers, particularly in STEM and humanities disciplines.
To promote cultural ties, the two sides welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Audio-visual Creation and agreed to encourage exchanges of artists, cultural troupes and participation in festivals, while promoting tourism and people-to-people contacts.
The leaders expressed support for legal and orderly mobility of skilled professionals and welcomed the signing of an agreement on labour migration cooperation. They also agreed to work towards an early conclusion of a social security agreement to safeguard the interests of professionals working in both countries.
Recognising growing people-to-people exchanges, India and Slovakia agreed to establish a mechanism for regular consular consultations.
Prime Ministers Modi and Fico agreed to periodically review the implementation of the Comprehensive Partnership and described the visit as a major step in taking bilateral ties into a new phase of engagement. Modi thanked the Slovak leadership and people for the hospitality extended to him and his delegation, while both leaders pledged to maintain the momentum of high-level exchanges.
