Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday made history by landing in Zagreb on the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Croatia, marking a significant moment in India-Croatia relations.
Zagreb is the final stop of PM Modi’s three-nation tour, which also included Cyprus and Canada. He will attend the G7 Summit at Kananaskis on Tuesday.
“I look forward to my visit to the Republic of Croatia and meetings with President Zoran Milanovic and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic,” PM Modi said on Sunday.
He highlighted the nations’ centuries-old cultural connections and said the visit would open new paths for bilateral cooperation.
Prime Minister Modi said the tour also allows India to thank its partners for their steadfast support in fighting cross-border terrorism and to promote global unity against all forms of terrorism.
Experts believe that the first-ever visit by the Indian Prime Minister to Croatia will strengthen political and economic ties. The two nations aim to collaborate in trade, defence, ports, science, technology, and cultural exchange.
India and Croatia already cooperate in sectors such as investment, agriculture, and defence. They also share close people-to-people ties and engage regularly at international forums.
Bilateral trade stands at around USD 300 million. Indian investments in Croatia are valued at approximately USD 48 million. The visit is expected to give new momentum to these figures.
Prime Minister Modi last met Prime Minister Plenkovic at COP-26 and at the India-EU virtual summit in 2021. In 2019, former President Ram Nath Kovind visited Croatia and received the country’s highest civilian honour.
Historical ties date back centuries, including Croatian missionary presence in India and links between Goa and the Principality of Dubrovnik. The Church of Sao Braz in Goa was reportedly built by Croatians in 1563.
The Indian community in Croatia has grown due to rising demand for foreign workers.
In December 2024, around 17,000 Indians lived there, mostly on short- to medium-term contracts. About 90 per cent form a mobile workforce engaged in different sectors of the Croatian economy.
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