File photo of Slovak Ambassador to India Robert Maxian (ANI)
New Delhi: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares to visit Slovakia from June 14 to 16, defence cooperation has emerged as one of the most dynamic pillars of bilateral relations.
Highlighting the growing importance of the sector, Slovak Ambassador to India Robert Maxian described defence ties as a key component of the partnership, reflecting a relationship that has evolved from traditional arms supplies to collaboration in advanced military technologies and joint development.
Maxian said that while Slovakia has been a long-time supplier of defence technologies to India, India’s growing domestic defence production has also changed the nature of the partnership, and even Slovakia is now buying defence technologies from India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with President of Slovakia Peter Pellegrini during a meeting on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi on Friday, February 20, 2026 (IANS)
“Defence is a very specific area of cooperation,” ANI news agency quoted him as saying. “Slovakia has been a solid supplier of defence technologies to India since 1993. We have been one of the biggest suppliers of military hardware to India, and we have been working with the public sector units, the Indian ordnance factories and the Ministry of Defence. After 30 years, the scenario has been slightly changed due to the so-called indigenisation.”
Maxian further stated that domestic production of military hardware in India is very significant, and both sides are also cooperating in the private sector. “There are a number of projects we are cooperating on jointly, and a very interesting element of our cooperation in defence that even Slovakia buys defence technologies from India,” he stated.
Since Slovakia became an independent state in 1993, its defence industry has maintained close links with India’s armed forces and defence public sector undertakings. Unlike many traditional buyer-seller relationships, India-Slovakia defence ties have increasingly moved towards technology partnerships and joint production.
The significance of the partnership lies in the complementary nature of the two countries’ defence industries. Slovakia possesses expertise in artillery systems, armoured vehicle technologies, turret systems, active protection systems, and NATO-standard military equipment.
India offers large-scale manufacturing capabilities, a rapidly expanding indigenous defence ecosystem, skilled engineering manpower, the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (Self-reliant India) framework for defence production, and growing export potential. This synergy allows both countries to benefit from co-development rather than simple arms transactions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with President of Slovakia Peter Pellegrini during a meeting on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi on Friday, February 20, 2026 (IANS)
Slovakia’s defence industry has considerable expertise in artillery and armoured platforms. Companies such as Konstrukta Defence developed the Zuzana family of 155-mm self-propelled howitzers, which have gained international recognition and have seen operational use in Ukraine.
Such capabilities are relevant for India as it modernises its artillery and mechanised forces. New Delhi is seeking advanced technologies for future ready combat vehicles (FRCVs), future infantry combat vehicles (FICVs), light tanks, remote-controlled weapon systems and active protection systems.
A major milestone came with the first India-Slovakia defence memorandum of understanding (MoU), signed through Airbornics Defence & Space Pvt. Ltd. (ADSL), the defence arm of the JCBL Group, during President Droupadi Murmu’s visit to the central European nation in April last year. The agreement envisages joint development and indigenous manufacture of technologies for light tanks, FRCVs and FICVs under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
The cooperation covers advanced turret systems, remote-controlled weapon stations (RCWS), active protection systems (APS), and human-machine interface technologies. This represents a transition from procurement to collaborative production and technology transfer.
“This partnership represents a convergence of trust, technology, and transformation. It aligns with our core belief in the ‘Make in India’ vision,” Rishi Aggarwal, Managing Director of JCBL Group, who was part of the presidential delegation, had said then.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with President of Slovakia Peter Pellegrini during a meeting on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi on Friday, February 20, 2026 (IANS)
For India, cooperation with Slovakia supports the broader goal of reducing dependence on imports and strengthening domestic manufacturing. The partnership contributes to indigenous capability building, technology absorption, increased private sector participation, defence exports, and supply chain diversification.
It aligns closely with the government’s emphasis on self-reliance in defence production. Slovakia is internationally known for the Zuzana and Eva series of wheeled artillery systems. Industry reports suggest that cooperation could open opportunities for Indian firms to offer Slovak-origin artillery platforms for future Indian Army requirements.
This could complement India’s own artillery modernisation programmes, which include systems such as Dhanush, ATAGS, and K9 Vajra-T.
Slovakia is a member of both NATO and the European Union. Closer defence ties with Slovakia provide India with access to European defence supply chains, opportunities for cooperation with NATO-standard technologies, potential entry points into broader Central and Eastern European defence markets, and enhanced strategic engagement with Europe.
Highlighting the fact that Modi’s visit to Slovakia will be the first ever by an Indian prime minister since that nation achieved independence in 1993, Ruchika Sharma, Research Associate at the Udaipur-based Usanas Foundation think tank, said that this will mark a pivotal moment in ties between New Delhi and Bratislava.
“Defence forms one of the key pillars of India-Slovakia ties,” Sharma told ETV Bharat. “Notably, Slovakia, being a supplier of military hardware to India since 1993, is now also receiving military hardware from India. This is a sign of a developing strategic partnership.” She said that India’s emphasis on defence indigenisation could open a new chapter in India-Slovakia defence ties.
“The formalisation of the first-ever defence MoU between India and Slovakia in 2025 could give a significant boost to defence manufacturing and co-production capabilities by combining Slovakia’s technological expertise with India’s strong industrial base,” she further stated. “At a time of geopolitical upheavals, this visit could provide a fresh thrust to bilateral ties and provide an opportunity to identify new avenues for cooperation in emerging sectors.”
Ambassador Maxian’s remarks highlight an important evolution: Slovakia is no longer merely a supplier but has begun purchasing defence technologies from India.
Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Slovakia is expected to provide fresh momentum to defence cooperation. As both countries seek to expand collaboration in advanced military technologies, joint manufacturing and defence trade, this sector is likely to evolve into one of the most strategically consequential dimensions of India-Slovakia relations, transforming a long-standing supplier relationship into a modern partnership centred on co-development, innovation and mutual industrial growth.
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