Narendra Modi is in the midst of an official visit to Slovakia, making him the first Prime Minister of India to visit the Central European country since it became independent from Czechoslovakia in 1993.
Announcing the visit last week, India’s Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi said the visit aims to strengthen India’s ties with Slovakia, including trade, investment and automobile and railway manufacturing.
Diplomatic relations between New Delhi and Bratislava were established 30 years ago after the separation of Czechoslovakia into the independent states of the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Modi gets traditional welcome in Slovakia
Modi arrived in the capital Bratislava on Sunday evening for a three-day visit, where he was welcomed by Slovak Foreign and European Affairs Minister Juraj Blanner, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement.
Modi’s welcome included a traditional Slovak ceremony of presenting bread and salt to the guests.
India’s national song “Vande Mataram” was also performed by Lucnica Ensemble.
Indian news agency ANI reported that NRIs also welcomed Modi.
“This visit represents an opportunity to deepen relations between India and Slovakia and explore new possibilities for cooperation,” Modi wrote on Twitter on his arrival in Slovakia after bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in Nice.
The Indian leader is scheduled to meet Slovakian President Peter Pellegrini and Prime Minister Robert Fico during his visit.
“I look forward to constructive talks,” he said of the talks scheduled in Slovakia.
Modi is expected to return to France on Tuesday to attend the G7 summit in Evian.
Edited by: Rana Taha
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