India and Croatia have carried out a comprehensive review of the existing bilateral relations
Meeting for the 11th session of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in New Delhi on April 30, 2024, India and Croatia discussed stronger cooperation in areas like trade and defence as well as science and technology. 

The two sides also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest in addition to India-EU bilateral cooperation.

During the consultations, the two sides carried out a comprehensive review of the existing bilateral relations including strengthening of cooperation in areas of trade and economy, defence and maritime, science & technology, innovation, research & development, tourism, culture, and people-to-people ties, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

Both sides stressed the importance of strengthening cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

According to the MEA, the two sides also exchanged views on international cooperation including cooperation in the UN and other multilateral fora. They noted with satisfaction the growing cooperation to further strengthen India-EU bilateral cooperation. They emphasized the need for early conclusion of a comprehensive, balanced and mutually beneficial India-EU FTA. 

The Indian side was led by Pavan Kapoor, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs and the Croatian side was led by Petar Mihatov, Director General for Political Affairs, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia.

Significant Growth in Bilateral Relations 

Nine rounds of Foreign Office Consultations at the Secretary level took place between 1995 and 2011, and an attempt to resume them was made in April 2021 but it had to be postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The 10th round of India-Croatia Foreign Office Consultations were held in Zagreb on November 4, 2022.

Diplomatic relations between India and Croatia were established in 1992. Over the years, India and Croatia have signed several agreements on economic cooperation, trade, and investments. Indian companies have invested in Croatia in areas such as pharmaceuticals, IT, and hospitality.

Over the past few years, high-level visits from both sides have strengthened the India-Croatia bilateral relationship. 

In September 2021, S Jaishankar became the first Indian External Affairs Minister to pay an official visit to Croatia. He met with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković in Zagreb and discussed opportunities to further expand bilateral cooperation, including in pharma, digital and infrastructure. EAM Jaishankar also met with his Croatian counterpart Gordan Grlić Radman. 

In March 2023, Minister Radman visited New Delhi to attend the Raisina Dialogue. In the bilateral meeting with EAM Jaishankar, the two Ministers signed the MoU on Defence Cooperation, apart from discussing other important areas of bilateral relationship. 

Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs and Culture Meenakshi Lekhi paid an official visit to Croatia in April 2023. She visited Croatia again in July 2023 to participate in the Dubrovnik Forum, a prestigious geopolitical forum.

In addition to this, Croatian PM Plenković met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the COP26 conference in Glasgow on November 1, 2021.