Bratislava, 15 June (HS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Slovakia for the second leg of his three-nation European tour, marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the country since it gained independence in 1993.

During his two-day stay in Bratislava, the Prime Minister is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Slovak President Peter Pellegrini and Prime Minister Robert Fico. He will also interact with leading Slovak business executives to explore opportunities for expanding economic cooperation between the two countries.

Soon after his arrival, Modi said the visit would provide an opportunity to deepen India-Slovakia relations and explore new avenues of cooperation. He expressed confidence that his meetings with the Slovak leadership would further strengthen bilateral ties.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the Prime Minister was received by Slovak Foreign and European Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar and accorded a traditional bread-and-salt welcome, symbolising hospitality, respect and goodwill.

India and Slovakia are expected to discuss cooperation in trade, investment, automobile manufacturing, railway production and emerging technologies. The visit is also being viewed as an opportunity to further strengthen India's engagement with the European Union, of which Slovakia is a member.

The Ministry of External Affairs said the visit follows a series of high-level exchanges between the two countries, including President Droupadi Murmu's state visit to Slovakia in April 2025 and President Pellegrini's visit to India for the AI Impact Summit in February 2026.

After concluding his engagements in Slovakia, Modi is scheduled to participate in the G7 Summit, where he is expected to hold discussions with world leaders on issues including international cooperation, economic growth and artificial intelligence, besides holding bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Indrani Sarkar