New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a productive meeting with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic on Wednesday, where both leaders discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral ties between India and Croatia. The discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in key sectors such as technology, innovation, shipbuilding, the blue economy, and improving connectivity through the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC).
PM Modi expressed his gratitude towards Croatia’s consistent support for the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which is expected to create “unprecedented progress” for both India and Europe.
“Held fruitful discussions with the Prime Minister of Croatia, Mr. Andrej Plenkovic. We discussed how to add momentum to our bilateral partnership in areas such as technology, innovation, shipbuilding, blue economy, and boosting connectivity through the IMEEC corridor,” Modi wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Increased Trade and New Areas for Cooperation
Croatia’s Prime Minister Plenkovic highlighted the growing trade relations between the two countries, noting a 10% increase in trade exchanges in the first 11 months of 2025. He also pointed out the many opportunities for further collaboration in areas such as logistics, maritime transport, digital transformation, defense, and security.
“It was a pleasure to meet again with the Prime Minister of India in New Delhi, following his visit to Zagreb last year. We are building excellent political relations with India, the world’s most populous country,” Plenkovic said on X.
Plenkovic also shared that Croatia, currently holding the chairmanship of the Three Seas Initiative (3SI), is in a strategic position to enhance connectivity between the Baltic, Adriatic, and Black Seas, as well as the emerging India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
EU-India Free Trade Agreement and Global Partnership
Both leaders welcomed the EU-India trade agreement, emphasizing its potential to create a free trade area that covers a quarter of the world’s population. Plenkovic underlined the importance of further developing EU-India cooperation, which will strengthen the partnership between two global powers, India and the European Union.
The discussions also reflected Croatia’s role as Chair of the 3SI, a forum that focuses on enhancing political and economic collaboration among EU member states between the Baltic, Adriatic, and Black Seas. Croatia’s geographical position as a Mediterranean gateway to central Europe makes it a vital player in connecting the 3SI with the IMEC.
AI Impact Summit 2026: Croatia’s Focus on Artificial Intelligence
Plenkovic’s visit to India comes in the context of the AI Impact Summit-2026, where leaders and experts in artificial intelligence are gathering to discuss the transformative role of AI in today’s world. The summit, held at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi from February 16-20, 2026, brings together over 500 global leaders, including CEOs, CTOs, researchers, and philanthropists.
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