India's Modi seeks to strengthen ties in Slovakia

Narendra Modi is in the middle of an official trip to Slovakia, making him the first prime minister of Indiato visit the central European country since it split from Czechoslovakia and became independent in 1993.

The visit is aimed at bolstering India's relations with Slovakia in areas including trade, investment, and automobile and railway manufacturing, India's External Affairs Ministry in New Delhi said as it announced the visit last week.

Diplomatic relations were established between New Delhi and Bratislava over 30 years ago after the separation of Czechoslovakia to the independent states of the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Modi gets traditional welcome in Slovakia

Modi arrived in the capital, Bratislava, for a three-day trip on Sunday evening, where he was received by Slovak Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Juraj Blanar, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement on X.

Modi's welcome included the traditional Slovak ceremony of offering guests bread and salt.

A rendition of India's national song "Vande Mataram" was also performed by the Lucnica Ensemble.

Modi was also greeted by members of the Indian diaspora, Indian news agency ANI reported.

"This visit represents an opportunity to deepen relations between India and Slovakia and to explore new possibilities for cooperation," Modi wrote on X as he reached Slovakia after bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in Nice.

The Indian leader is set to meet Slovakia's President Peter Pellegrini and Prime Minister Robert Fico during his visit.

"I look forward to constructive negotiations," he said about the scheduled talks in Slovakia.

Modi is expected back in France on Tuesday to participate in the G7 Summit in Evian.

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