Slovakia and India Sign Cooperation Deals During Modi Visit (2)

Bratislava, 15 June (TASR) - Slovak ministers and deputy ministers and their Indian counterparts signed a series of memoranda of understanding on Monday covering cooperation in defence, higher education and digitisation, with the agreements put to ink during the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bratislava. Modi also invited Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) to pay an official visit to India. Fico stated that he's fully prepared for the trip, describing it as another important step in strengthening relations between Slovakia and India. The two countries signed a declaration of intent on defence cooperation, along with a memorandum on cooperation in digital technologies, a memorandum of understanding on labour mobility, a memorandum on cooperation in higher education and research, and a memorandum on audiovisual production covering the period 2026-2030. "Today, the prime minister and I agreed to elevate cooperation between Slovakia and India to a level that can be described as strategic [...] The fact remains that this visit by the head of government of the world's largest country, accompanied by a large delegation, is taking our cooperation to a higher level," stated Fico. He highlighted in particular exchanges of experience in digitisation and the use of artificial intelligence. According to Fico, India is becoming a global leader in these fields. "You are overtaking advanced Western European countries such as France and Germany, as well as other developed nations in different parts of the world. Slovakia is interested in this area, and I'll ask the relevant ministry to be as active as possible and to make full use of this opportunity," the Slovak prime minister declared. According to Modi, the memorandum on digital technologies will create new opportunities for cooperation in digital public infrastructure. "I'm pleased that a dedicated position called the Indian Chair will be established at a university in Kosice. Our shared vision is that artificial intelligence should become a powerful tool serving humanity and contributing to human progress," said Modi. He added that the future of AI shouldn't be driven solely by innovation; it must also be based on trust, responsibility and human dignity. Fico also expressed interest in cooperation between the two countries' defence industries, stating that there are significant opportunities for collaboration. "Anyone wishing to pursue a sovereign policy must also ensure their own security. That's why I fully understand and support this cooperation," he added. Modi described defence cooperation as evidence of mutual trust and strategic convergence between the two countries. "I'm pleased that we've signed a declaration of intent in this important field. It will provide new impetus for further cooperation, joint development, joint production and collaboration between the defence industry sectors of both countries," he said. The two prime ministers also welcomed cooperation in the field of civil nuclear energy. Modi claimed that there is considerable potential to expand cooperation in the space sector. "Space exploration is advancing in India at an unprecedented pace. I would like to invite Slovak companies to become part of this journey," said the Indian prime minister, pointing out that India launched Slovakia's first satellite into space in 2017. Fico noted that bilateral trade between Slovakia and India has also been growing, by as much as five times over the past five years. He added that Slovakia welcomes the planned free trade agreement between the European Union and India and will support efforts to ensure that it is rapidly implemented. "Slovakia has a huge concentration of car manufacturing, and this is one of the sectors in which agreement has been reached on a 10-percent tariff level, meaning that the deal is advantageous for Slovakia," said Fico. He also invited Indian investors to Slovakia, adding that the country can offer favourable conditions for investment. According to Modi, Indians living in Slovakia make an important contribution to both the Slovak economy and society. He added that the two countries are expected to finalise a memorandum of understanding on social security in the near future. Fico praised India's sovereign positions and said that he's closely followed the emphasis that the country places on respecting international law. "Only through respect for international law can conflicts and disputes be resolved," he said. The Slovak government supports reform of the United Nations and believes that India should become a permanent member of the UN Security Council, added Fico. According to Modi, India and Slovakia closely coordinate their actions on the global stage. Both countries agree that violent conflicts should be resolved through peaceful means. They also share the view that global institutions must be redefined to reflect present realities and the challenges of the 21st century. "In this regard, we'll cooperate to strengthen global efforts," said the Indian prime minister. NOTE: This story has been updated in paragraph 14 and extended to include paragraph 7 and the last four paragraphs mf/df