NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday described India and Slovakia as partners with “shared trust, shared priorities, and a shared future” as the two countries elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Partnership during his landmark visit to Bratislava, the first ever by an Indian Prime Minister to the Central European nation.Addressing a joint press conference with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico after delegation-level talks, PM Modi thanked his counterpart for the warm welcome and credited him with helping strengthen bilateral ties.“I express my heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Robert Fico for his warm welcome. He is an experienced leader and a true friend of India. His friendship and unwavering commitment have played a significant role in elevating India-Slovakia relations to new heights,” PM Modi said.Calling the visit a “historic moment” in bilateral relations, he added, “This is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Slovakia. I am delighted that on this historic occasion, we have decided to elevate our relations to a Comprehensive Partnership. This symbolises our shared trust, shared priorities, and a shared future.”PM Modi said the two leaders held extensive discussions on expanding cooperation across key sectors and pointed to untapped opportunities despite growing economic engagement. “The progress in our bilateral trade and economic cooperation is a matter of satisfaction for us. But our potential is vast. Our aspirations are even greater,” he said.He identified automobiles, railways, advanced manufacturing and green technology as priority areas and thanked Slovakia for supporting efforts to finalise the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement.“I express special gratitude to the Prime Minister of Slovakia’s support in finalising the India-EU FTA. We will work towards its early implementation so that industries, startups, and traders from both countries can reap maximum benefits,” PM Modi said.Technology emerged as a central theme of the talks. PM Modi said a memorandum of understanding on digital technology would create new opportunities in digital public infrastructure, while welcoming the establishment of an India Chair on Artificial Intelligence at a Slovak university.“Technology is a key pillar of our future partnership,” he said, adding that cooperation in space and civil nuclear energy also held significant promise. PM Modi invited Slovak companies to participate in India’s rapidly expanding space sector.He also highlighted defence ties, saying, “Defence cooperation is a testament to our deep mutual trust and strategic convergence. I am pleased that we signed a Letter of Intent today in this important area. This will give new impetus to joint development, joint production, and cooperation between the defence industry.”
