India and Croatia to make long term plans for defence cooperation: PM Modi
NEW DELHI
India and Croatia will make long term plans for deepening defence partnership, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (June 18, 2025). Speaking in Zagreb after official dialogue with Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic Prime Minister Modi said, Croatian companies will be welcomed to participate in developing India's coastal infrastructure and that India and Croatia will jointly work on space ventures. Prime Minister Modi appreciated Croatia for expressing solidarity with India in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
'In the field of defence cooperation, a long term plan will be made that will focus on defence production alongside training and military exchange. There are many areas where our economies can supplement each other's capacities,' said PM Modi adding that India is going to enhance investment into Croatia's critical industries like pharma, agriculture, IT, clean technology, digital technology, semiconductors.
'According to the Sagarmala project, port modernization, coastal zone development and multimodal connectivity will provide vast opportunity for Croatia's companies,' said Prime Minister Modi welcoming Croatian participation into ship building. Mr Modi highlighted India's old connection with the Adriatic region and said this connection helps in building people-to-people connection.
Prime Minister Modi reiterated his call for resolving international conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy and conveyed India's appreciation for the support that Croatia extended to India after the April 22 terror attack. 'We agree that terrorism is an enemy of humanity and an opponent of those who believe in democracy,' said PM Modi expressing gratitude to the Government of Croatia and added, 'Such support during such difficult moments from friendly states was very significant for us. Croatia's support and cooperation is very important for us in firming up strategic partnership with the European Union. We both support that irrespective of Europe or Asia, solution to disputes can not be found in the battlefields and dialogue and diplomacy alone is the only way out.'
Mr Modi announced academic institutes of India and Croatia will carry out research projects jointly. 'India will share its space expertise with Croatia,' said Mr Modi appreciating the Indology department in Zagreb University. The two sides also finalized five year plan for cultural exchange programme. Prime Minister Modi also announced that India and Croatia will 'soon' sign a mobility agreement to help in movement of people between the two sides. Prime Minister Modi arrived in Croatia late on Wednesday on his way back home from the G7 summit in Canada where he had highlighted the necessities of the Global South that has been affected by the commodities crises that erupted against the backdrop of the Ukraine war.
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