Fact Check: Modi Announces Long-Term Defense Partnership with Croatia
What We Know
On June 18, 2025, during a visit to Zagreb, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India announced a significant enhancement of defense cooperation with Croatia. Following delegation-level talks with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Modi stated that both nations would draft a "long-term Defense Cooperation Plan" that would include joint training, military exchanges, and collaboration in the defense industry (source-1, source-3). This announcement is part of broader efforts to deepen bilateral ties, which also encompass sectors such as pharmaceuticals, agriculture, information technology, and renewable energy.
Analysis
The announcement made by Prime Minister Modi is well-documented in multiple reputable sources. The Hindu, a respected Indian news outlet, confirmed the details of the defense partnership, emphasizing the focus on defense production, training, and military exchanges (source-3). Additionally, the official press release from India's news agency corroborates these claims, detailing the areas of cooperation discussed during the talks (source-1).
The reliability of these sources is high, as they are established news organizations with a history of accurate reporting on international relations. The Hindu, in particular, is known for its thorough coverage of political developments in India and abroad. The consistency across multiple reports strengthens the credibility of the claim regarding the defense partnership.
Conclusion
The claim that Prime Minister Modi announced a long-term defense partnership with Croatia is True. The evidence from multiple reputable sources confirms that both nations are committed to drafting a comprehensive Defense Cooperation Plan that includes various collaborative efforts in the defense sector.