Bratislava: On Wednesday, Slovakian President Peter Pellegrini publicly affirmed the nation's complete support for India's aspiration to secure a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). This announcement, made during President Droupadi Murmu's state visit, underscores the enduring and strengthening ties between Slovakia and India, as detailed in a Joint Press Statement.
In the statement, President Pellegrini reiterated Slovakia's dedication to endorsing India's candidacy, declaring, "I want to make it clear here that Slovakia is fully prepared to support India's bid for a new permanent seat on the UN Security Council."
During the same event, President Murmu expressed her appreciation for the warm reception she received in Slovakia. She acknowledged the mutual respect shared by the two nations and praised Slovakia for its collaboration across various sectors, including trade, investment, science and technology, defense, and space.
Additionally, she recognized Slovakia's steadfast assistance in the evacuation of Indian students from Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict, which has further solidified the relationship between the two countries.
"I am truly delighted to be in Slovakia for my first State visit to this beautiful nation. I extend my gratitude to President Pellegrini and the people of Slovakia for their warm welcome and hospitality towards me and my delegation. I bring heartfelt greetings from the people of India. Our relationship is founded on mutual respect, democratic values, and a shared vision for global collaboration. India and Slovakia support each other in international platforms, reflecting our profound friendship. Our trade relations are thriving, and we have seen significant growth in trade and investment in recent years," Murmu stated.
I would like to express my gratitude to Slovakia for its steadfast support in facilitating the evacuation of Indian students from Ukraine. India will always cherish Slovakia's collaboration and kindness, which fortifies our relationship as genuine partners and friends, she remarked.
The leaders engaged in discussions covering various aspects of bilateral cooperation, such as trade, investment, nuclear collaboration, and cultural exchange, while also addressing global and regional matters of shared concern, thereby reinforcing their common vision for international collaboration.
"We are committed to further enhancing our long-term bilateral relations across all sectors, including trade and investment, science and technology, defense, digital technology, migration and mobility, space, nuclear cooperation, and culture, while also promoting people-to-people interactions," President Murmu stated.
The two Presidents also formalized agreements related to the exchange of diplomats and collaboration in the small and medium enterprises sector.
In recent years, trade between the two nations has surged, tripling over the past five years to nearly EUR 1.3 billion, with Indian investments in Slovakia, such as the Tata Jaguar Land Rover assembly facility in Nitra, playing a significant role in this expansion.
"Two agreements on bilateral cooperation were signed, one concerning the exchange of diplomats and the other aimed at fostering collaboration among small and medium enterprises. I am pleased to report that our mutual trade has also seen remarkable growth, tripling in the last five years to reach approximately EUR 1.3 billion, and I am delighted that Indian partners are increasingly interested in Slovakia," President Pellegrini remarked.
In addition to these bilateral talks, President Murmu and President Pellegrini will jointly launch the India-Slovak Business Forum on Thursday and tour the Jaguar Land Rover Assembly plant in Nitra, marking a significant advancement in economic collaboration between the two nations.
President Murmu's trip marks the first visit by an Indian head of state to Slovakia in almost three decades and is anticipated to enhance the political and economic relations between the two countries. This visit highlights the deepening partnership between India and Slovakia, emphasizing the importance of increasing trade, investment, and collaboration across multiple sectors.
