New Delhi, April 23: Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada wrapped up a two-day official visit to the Czech Republic on Thursday, April 23, marking a significant step in strengthening India-Czech bilateral trade, investment, and industrial cooperation. The visit, held at the invitation of the Czech government, signalled India's deepening economic engagement with a key European Union partner at a time when New Delhi is aggressively diversifying its global trade relationships.

High-Level Bilateral Meetings in Prague

During the visit, MoS Prasada held structured bilateral meetings with senior Czech leadership, including Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlicek, his deputy Jan Sechter, and Deputy Foreign Minister Marie Chatardova. These discussions reviewed the current state of economic cooperation and mapped out new opportunities in priority sectors for both nations.

The engagement reflects India's broader strategy of cementing ties with Central and Eastern European economies, which are increasingly seen as gateways into the wider EU market. The Czech Republic, a manufacturing and technology powerhouse within the EU, offers strategic complementarity with India's industrial ambitions.

13th India-Czech Joint Economic Commission Session

Jitin Prasada co-chaired the landmark 13th Session of the India–Czech Republic Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation alongside Jan Sechter in Prague. Both sides conducted a comprehensive review of bilateral economic ties and explored collaboration in emerging and high-growth sectors. A protocol of the meeting was formally signed during the session, according to the Union government.

This was a notable milestone — the Joint Commission serves as the primary institutional mechanism for structured economic dialogue between the two countries, and the signing of a protocol signals intent to operationalise commitments into actionable frameworks. Notably, India-Czech bilateral trade has been on a gradual upswing, making such formal sessions critical to sustaining momentum.

India-Czech Business Forum and Industry Outreach

On the sidelines of the official engagements, MoS Prasada inaugurated the India–Czech Business Forum and interacted with leading Czech industry representatives. The forum was designed to promote trade and investment opportunities while building stronger business-to-business (B2B) linkages between Indian and Czech enterprises.

He also visited Skoda Transportation in Plzen and held direct discussions with representatives of Skoda Auto, encouraging the company to expand and deepen its investment footprint in India's automobile sector. Skoda Auto already has a significant presence in India through its partnership under the Volkswagen Group, and these talks could potentially accelerate localisation and manufacturing commitments in the country.

Focus on Advanced Technologies: AI, Robotics, and Laser Science

A forward-looking dimension of the visit was Prasada's tour of cutting-edge research institutions. He visited the Czech Institute of Informatics, Robotics and Cybernetics in Prague and the ELI Beamlines facility in Dolni Brezany — one of Europe's most advanced laser research centres. The discussions centred on collaboration in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and laser science.

This technology-focused outreach aligns with India's national priorities under initiatives such as Make in India, the National AI Mission, and the push for advanced manufacturing. Partnering with Czech institutions in robotics and cybernetics could provide Indian research bodies and startups access to world-class expertise and infrastructure.

Strategic Significance and What Comes Next

According to the Union government, the visit has underscored growing economic convergence between India and the Czech Republic, with both sides committed to translating political goodwill into tangible trade, investment, and innovation partnerships. This visit comes amid India's broader diplomatic push to strengthen ties with EU member states ahead of a potential India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), negotiations for which have been ongoing.

This is the 13th edition of the Joint Economic Commission — a continuity that speaks to the institutionalised and durable nature of the bilateral relationship. With the protocol now signed and the Business Forum inaugurated, the next phase will involve follow-up on specific sectoral commitments, particularly in automobiles, advanced manufacturing, AI, and cybersecurity. Stakeholders on both sides will watch closely whether these high-level conversations translate into measurable investment flows and technology transfer agreements in the months ahead.