Indian Prime Minister's visit to Croatia will put bilateral relations in a different light

Ina Stašević, Croatia/Europe: The world is undergoing profound changes. The dominance of the West is decreasing, and a new path is opening up, the path to a multipolar world that includes several countries with key roles. The center of global decisions and plans is shifting towards Asia, thus placing significant responsibility on India, an ancient civilization, the largest and fastest growing economy.

In recent years, the visit of the Indian Prime Minister to Croatia has put bilateral relations in a different light, and Croatia is also gaining importance, demonstrating its presence on the global stage. During the G-20 summit in New Delhi in 2023, the India - Middle East - Europe Economic Corridor was launched. Thus, Croatia, with its seaports on the Adriatic Sea, has become attractive to India as well. 

The visit of the Indian Prime Minister is the first meeting of the leaders of the two countries since the establishment of the Croatian state. This event is very significant for relations between India and Croatia. On the occasion of this event, I spoke with H.Exc. Arun Goel, Ambassador of India to Croatia.

Given the increasing cooperation between India and Croatia, what do you see as further progress in the development of bilateral relations? We have had very close, cordial contacts over the past decades, but I believe that this visit of the Indian Prime Minister to Croatia will put bilateral relations in a different light. This will open up many new opportunities, be it trade, science and technology, agriculture, labour mobility or culture. 

When we look at Croatia and India over the past hundred years, we have had mutual trust and mutual respect. This is not a new partnership, but a strengthening of the partnership between old friends. I think that is where India-Croatia relations come in. This visit will lay the foundations for a new beginning in bilateral relations and the role of our two nations in multilateral organisations.

How do you assess the results of the Prime Minister's visit to Croatia? Will it lead to an improvement in bilateral relations and in what segments were agreements reached?

During this visit, there were detailed discussions on almost all topics. Four Memorandums of Understanding were signed, but I would say that even more are in preparation considering the talks held. As many as 30 areas in the agricultural sector and related activities were covered. The signed agreements relate to cultural heritage, libraries, museums, literature, research and documentation, festivals and audiovisual activities. No less important is the continuation of the work of the Hindi language department at the University of Zagreb. Specific areas covered by this program are artificial intelligence, oceanography, environment, biotechnology, pharmacology and clean energy. The program will facilitate the exchange of young researchers and scientists.

How to achieve better working conditions and job security for Indian people in Croatia? Over the last three years, we have had close to 20,000 workers in Croatia. So far, their experiences have been mostly good. It is known that due to the demographic situation, Croatia needs a workforce to maintain its economic growth rate. 

The level of security in Croatia is very high. In this regard, we look forward to the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Labor Mobility soon. This will facilitate the temporary migration of workers from India to Croatia. As you know, there are employment agencies and brokers in India and Croatia that ensure the arrival of skilled workers in the food industry, agriculture, construction or shipbuilding. Once the Memorandum of Understanding is signed, we will have a regulatory system that will deter dishonest brokers from gaming the system or taking advantage of poor workers. The relationship between employer and employee will then become more direct. Since this is a trend that will continue for some time, it is in the interest of both parties, and especially Croatian employers, that workers feel safe because this will encourage the arrival of new workers. So, as I said, Croatia is crime-free. Croatian employers are fair, they respect their obligations that they took on when bringing our workers. Looking ahead, I think that the general atmosphere among most Croatian employers will be increasingly positive.

I then asked H.Exc. Prof. Dr. Emilio Marin, President of the Croatian Diplomatic Club, former Ambassador to the Holy See and the Order of Malta, member of the French Academy of Sciences and Arts, University Professor Emeritus …

The world is changing rapidly and the challenges we face require understanding, reflection and collaborative problem-solving. Should European foreign policy also adapt to a Eurasian perspective, and not just a Western one? 

Of course, the EU, like every country, must also adapt to realities. However, I would not put the emphasis on change in the sense of adaptation to a much larger and more populous continent. Rather, I would say that the EU must imagine why its model of a peacetime project, which was so successful for its members and attractive to those who are not, has run into difficulties. Consequently, I believe that the EU would cope better with the contemporary situation if it reaffirmed its founding principles.

I also talk to Izabela Majić, a Master of Science who completed her studies in Stockholm/Sweden.

The world of pharmaceutical products is risky and competitive. Nevertheless, you have been working successfully on the Indian market for 20 years and more, of which the last six years have been through the co-owned company IBS-Experts International in India. How do you deal with the uncertainties in the pharmaceutical industry and what is the future of Indian pharmaceuticals?

One of our companies based in Europe and partners in India, IBS-Experts International d.o.o., which is co-owned by me and my partner, helps Indian drug manufacturers to reach regulated markets such as Europe, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, US, Middle East, as well as European manufacturers in exporting deficient pharmaceutical products to the Indian market. I consider it a privilege to develop this type of business focused on the global improvement of patient health.

The Indian pharmaceutical industry is ready to respond to global challenges thanks to the systematic and planned support of the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Modi, which in time classified medicines and pharmaceutical active substances as essential goods along with food and energy. The Indian government and the pharmaceutical industry are successfully cooperating in achieving the goal of ensuring self-sustainability and continuity of production by returning the production of primary raw materials and pharmaceutical active substances back to India. The Indian pharmaceutical industry, which until now has been mainly recognized for the production of generic drugs, is investing considerable resources with government incentives in the development of innovative products. Considerable resources are being invested in digitization and global integration, which greatly benefits patients in Europe.

The benefit of this job is the privilege of getting to know other cultures, such as the exceptionally rich Indian culture. We have many good friends in India with whom we share important moments just like with our families (births, graduations, weddings...), which means that we no longer consider travel as a classic business trip, but rather as a way to meet loved ones alongside work.