Commerce Secretary, Government of India, Mr. Sunil Barthwal, Engages with Croatian Counterparts to Strengthen Bilateral Economic Cooperation

Commerce Secretary, Government of India, Mr. Sunil Barthwal, visited the Republic of Croatia from April 22, 2025, to April 23, 2025, to advance India-Croatia trade and investment relations. In meetings with the State Secretary for Foreign Trade and Development, Mr. Zdenko Lucić, and State Secretary of the Ministry of Economy, Mr. Ivo Milatić, discussions focused on sectoral collaboration and enhancing India’s presence in Central Europe. Talks with Mr. Zdenko Lucić highlighted the progress of the proposed India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), with emphasis on areas such as railways, global capability centres, electric vehicles, and information technology. The Croatian side expressed investment interest in India’s defence sector, solar cell manufacturing, food processing technology, automobiles, and knowledge-sharing platforms.

In discussions with Mr. Ivo Milatić, the focus was on promoting investment flows and cooperation across priority sectors, including healthcare, education, tourism, entertainment (including the WAVES summit), logistics, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, and digital technology. Both sides reviewed the upcoming third Session of the Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation. They agreed to improve coordination through more frequent meetings and enhanced business-to-business (B2B) connectivity. Mr. Sunil Barthwal also attended a business event organised by the Croatian Chamber of Economy, which featured discussions with key industry leaders, a presentation on trade and investment ties, and case studies of Croatian companies operating in India. The visit reaffirmed India’s commitment to deepen engagement with Central Europe and boost bilateral commercial partnerships.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.