Why in the news?
India and Slovakia elevated their bilateral ties to a “Comprehensive Partnership” during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bratislava, the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister since Slovakia’s establishment in 1993.
Key Outcomes
Comprehensive Partnership
- Bilateral ties formally upgraded to a Comprehensive Partnership.
- Focus on expanding cooperation across strategic and emerging sectors.
Defence Cooperation
- A Letter of Intent (LoI) was signed to enhance defence collaboration.
- Areas of cooperation Defence technologies, Defence industrial cooperation, Capacity building, and Research and Development (R&D).
- Defence identified as a key pillar of bilateral relations.
Labour Mobility
- MoU signed on labour migration and mobility.
- Facilitates Movement of workers and Exchange of information between authorities.
- Both countries agreed to conclude a Social Security Agreement.
Education and Research
- MoU signed between higher education authorities.
- Promotes Academic partnerships, Institutional linkages, Mobility of students and researchers.
- Special emphasis on STEM fields and humanities.
Digital Cooperation
- MoU signed on digital technologies.
- Areas of collaboration Artificial Intelligence (AI), Semiconductors, Start-ups, Internet of Things (IoT), and 6G standardisation.
Trade and Investment
- Commitment to enhance two-way trade and investment.
- Focus sectors Automobiles, Electronics, Advanced manufacturing, Green technologies, and Railways.
- India-EU Free Trade Agreement expected to provide additional momentum.
Counter-Terrorism Cooperation
- Agreement to establish a Joint Working Group on Terrorism.
- Both sides strongly condemned the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack.
- Called for: Action against terrorists and their sponsors, Effective implementation of the United Nations Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee regime, and Adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) under the UN framework.
Multilateral Cooperation
- Reaffirmed commitment to multilateralism.
- Supported reforms of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), including expansion of permanent and non-permanent membership.
- Slovakia reiterated support for India’s bid for a permanent UNSC seat and India’s membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
About Slovakia
- Capital: Bratislava
- Currency: Euro (€)
- Member of European Union (EU) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
- Became an independent country in 1993 following the dissolution of Czechoslovakia.
[2025] Consider the following countries:
I. Austria
II. Bulgaria
III. Croatia
IV. Serbia
V. Sweden
VI. North Macedonia
How many of the above are members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization?
[A] Only three
[B] Only four
[C] Only five
[D] All the six