AMN / WEB DESK
India and Croatia have discussed the long-pending India-EU Free Trade Agreement. Croatia has reiterated its strong support for the early conclusion of the FTA, emphasising the mutual benefits it will bring to both India and the European Union.
Prime Minister Modi, who is on his way to New Delhi after his successful visits to Croatia, Canada and Cyprus, held wide-ranging delegation-level talks with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković at Banski Dvori in Zagreb. The leaders in the discussions also look forward to an early conclusion of the India-EU FTA, which will give a boost to the bilateral trade and supply chain resilience.
Both leaders also agreed that the agreement would unlock new avenues for trade, investment, and technology collaboration. India appreciated Croatia’s consistent backing within the EU framework.
They also underscored their shared commitment to global peace, democratic values and expanding cooperation as the two countries signed four MoUs in the fields of agriculture, cultural exchange, science & technology and the setting up of an ICCR Chair of Hindi in Zagreb. The two nations also decided to formulate a long-term Defence Cooperation Plan to include joint training, military exchanges and industry-level partnerships. The leaders agreed to deepen bilateral trade and build resilient, dependable supply chains. New areas of enhanced cooperation identified include Pharmaceuticals, Agriculture, Information Technology, Clean and Digital Technologies, Renewable Energy, and Semiconductors. Mr. Modi also highlighted growing cooperation in shipbuilding, cybersecurity, and defence.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Modi strongly advocated peaceful resolution of conflicts, stating that whether in Europe or Asia, solutions cannot be found on the battlefield. He said dialogue and diplomacy are the only viable paths forward. Condemning terrorism as the enemy of humanity, Mr Modi thanked the Croatian leadership and people for standing in solidarity with India following the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack.
