Dipanjan Mondal
19 June, 2025
As the rhythmic hum of Vedic chants filled the air and tricolour flags waved with pride, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was welcomed with open arms by an emotional Indian community in Zagreb on Wednesday. Smiles, cheers, and traditional greetings marked a heartwarming moment as he became the first Indian Prime Minister to set foot in Croatia.
The Croatian capital is the final stop on PM Modi’s three-nation tour, which earlier took him to Cyprus and then to Canada for the G7 Summit in Kananaskis.
As a special gesture, the PM was warmly received by his Croatian counterpart, Andrej Plenkovic, at the Franjo Tudman Airport with a ceremonial welcome.
“We welcomed the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi to Zagreb! This is the first visit by the Prime Minister of India – the most populous country in the world, and it comes at an important geopolitical moment. We are starting a new chapter in Croatia-India relations and creating the conditions for strengthening bilateral cooperation in a number of areas,” the Croatian Prime Minister commented.
“This is a special visit, the first ever by an Indian Prime Minister to a valued European partner. I am grateful to Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic for the special gesture of welcoming me at the airport,” PM Modi posted on X.
“I am happy that I got the opportunity to come to this beautiful city of Zagreb. Even though this visit is a small one, I got to experience the city's culture, people's lifestyle, and warmth. I felt at home,” said PM Modi.
“Today was an important milestone in our bilateral relations. We made many important decisions that will strengthen India-Croatia relations and open new avenues for working together in many areas,” he added.
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic praised India's rising global stature, highlighting its forward-looking approach to development, sustainability, and innovation.
Speaking during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Zagreb, Plenkovic commended India’s successful hosting of the 2023 G20 Summit and its leadership role in emerging technologies, especially with the upcoming Global Artificial Intelligence Summit.
"Today, India stands at the vanguard of global progress, guided by a bold and inclusive vision for development, sustainability, and technical innovation. Under your dynamic leadership, India has emerged as a strong advocate for the Global South and a powerful voice on the international stage. Your successful hosting of the 2023 G20 summit, as well as the upcoming Global Artificial Intelligence Summit, which is due in February next year, are shining examples of this global leadership," said the Croatian PM.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic held delegation-level talks in Zagreb, engaging in wide-ranging discussions aimed at strengthening the bilateral partnership. Key areas of focus included trade and investment, science and technology, defence and security, space cooperation, cultural exchange, and people-to-people ties.
Both leaders identified significant potential for enhanced cooperation in sectors such as infrastructure, ports and shipping, digitalization, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, tourism, and hospitality. They acknowledged that the growing popularity of Indian culture, Indology, and Yoga in Croatia has deepened mutual understanding and brought the people of both countries closer together. Prime Minister Modi also extended his greetings to yoga enthusiasts in Croatia ahead of the upcoming International Yoga Day on June 21.
The two leaders welcomed recent efforts to build start-up and innovation partnerships and emphasized the need to promote greater business-to-business engagement. They discussed the importance of facilitating investment partnerships and joint ventures to drive inclusive and sustainable growth in both nations. Prime Minister Modi suggested that Croatia could tap into India’s skilled talent pool and proposed establishing institutional collaboration in the area of mobility.
They also underlined the importance of improving connectivity, including through the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), and agreed that Croatia could serve as a strategic gateway for India into Central and Southeastern Europe.
The leaders also discussed important regional and global issues of mutual interest. They exchanged views on reform of the United Nations and other international institutions, climate change action and threats posed by terrorism. Prime Minister thanked Prime Minister Plenkovic for the strong support and solidarity extended by Croatia to India in its fight against terrorism. The two leaders expressed satisfaction at the deepening of India-EU strategic ties and conveyed their support for the early conclusion of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement.
In a major step to strengthen ties, both nations signed four Memoranda of Understanding. First MoU has been inked for cooperation in the field of Agriculture and Allied Sectors. The second MoU has been signed for the Cultural Exchange Programme for the years 2026-2030. The third one is the Programme of Cooperation in the field of Science & Technology between the concerned Ministries of the two countries for the period 2025-2029. The fourth MoU is regarding the establishment of the Hindi Chair at the University of Zagreb.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Croatia is historical and of great strategic importance. It was the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Croatia at a time of extreme geopolitical urgency; it will enhance relations between India and Central and Southeastern Europe. The visit opened up more prospects for cooperation in trade, defense, innovation, renewable energy, and solidified cultural relationships through agreements in agriculture, science, and the establishment of a renewed Hindi Chair. Even more importantly, this visit placed Croatia as a potential entry point for India into the Europe-Middle East connectivity corridor (IMEC), demonstrating India's already expanding global footprint.
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