Celebrating the Establishment Days of the Slovak and Czech Republics: A Shared Legacy of Friendship, Innovation and Strategic Partnership

By Tribhuvan Darbari

On the auspicious occasion of the Day of the Establishment of the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic, both observed on 1st January, I extend my warm greetings and best wishes to the Governments and the people of these two friendly nations. These significant national milestones are moments of pride not only for Slovakia and the Czech Republic individually, but also an opportunity to reflect on their shared historical legacy and the steadily deepening bonds of friendship, cooperation and strategic engagement with India.

Slovakia and the Czech Republic, emerging as independent republics with strong democratic foundations, have charted impressive developmental journeys marked by industrial excellence, technological sophistication and a strong commitment to innovation-led growth. Their resilience, forward-looking outlook and emphasis on advanced manufacturing resonate closely with India’s own development priorities and global aspirations.

I have been privileged to engage closely with the leadership and diplomatic representatives of both nations over the years. My interactions with H.E. Mr. Juraj Blanár, Hon’ble Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia, including on platforms such as the Slovak Technologies & Innovation Day and the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, were substantive and forward-looking. These exchanges reflected Slovakia’s keen interest in strengthening economic, technological, and innovation-driven partnerships with India, particularly in sectors critical to sustainable growth and industrial modernization.

Equally enriching have been my engagements with senior Slovak leadership, including H.E. Mr. Ladislav Kamenický, Hon’ble Finance Minister of Slovakia and my visit to Bratislava as part of the Indian business delegation during the State Visit of the Hon’ble President of India. That visit marked an important milestone in India-Slovakia relations, reinforcing mutual trust and opening new avenues for enterprise-level collaboration.

These high-level engagements have directly inspired the Adventz Group to actively pursue and successfully realize strategic industry collaborations anchored in advanced Slovak and Czech technologies. A notable manifestation of this Indo-Central European synergy is the establishment of highly strategic joint ventures that reflect shared confidence, technological complementarity and long-term vision.

One such landmark collaboration is Texmaco Nymwag Rail & Components Pvt. Ltd., a joint venture between Texmaco Rail & Engineering Ltd., a flagship Adventz Group company, and NYMWAG C.S., a Czech-based rolling stock major with deep engineering heritage. This partnership brings together Indian manufacturing scale and Czech engineering excellence to produce new-age rolling stock, freight wagons and components at a modern manufacturing facility in Sodepur, near Kolkata. It significantly contributes to India’s rail modernization goals while strengthening global supply chains in rail engineering.

Another important collaboration is Zuari Envien Bioenergy Pvt. Ltd. (ZEBPL), a joint venture between Zuari Industries Ltd. and the renowned Slovak Envien Group. This venture focuses on ethanol manufacturing at a state-of-the-art facility in Uttar Pradesh, leveraging advanced Slovak bioenergy technologies. At a time when India is accelerating its renewable energy and biofuel agenda, this partnership stands as a compelling example of how global technological cooperation can directly support national sustainability and energy security objectives.

These joint ventures go beyond commercial success. They embody a shared commitment to innovation, sustainability, skill development and long-term value creation. They also underscore the growing confidence between Indian, Slovak and Czech enterprises-confidence nurtured by visionary leadership, robust institutional frameworks and proactive diplomatic engagement.

In this context, I take great pleasure in acknowledging the exemplary role played by H.E. Mr. Robert Maxian, Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to India, for his proactive efforts in strengthening bilateral ties and supporting industry collaboration. Similarly, I extend my appreciation to Her Excellency Dr. Eliska Zigova, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to India, for her leadership in advancing Indo-Czech industrial cooperation, particularly in advanced manufacturing, railways, defence and cultural exchanges. I also gratefully acknowledge the guidance and support received from her predecessor, H.E. Mr. Milan Hovorka, which laid a strong foundation for ongoing collaborations.

I take this opportunity as well to congratulate and thank H.E. Mr. Raveesh Kumar, Ambassador of India to the Czech Republic, for his effective diplomatic engagement and steadfast support in strengthening India’s economic and industrial footprint in the region.

As India advances towards the vision of Viksit Bharat, and Slovakia and the Czech Republic continue to consolidate their positions as hubs of advanced manufacturing and innovation in Europe, the scope for deeper trilateral engagement is immense. Railways, green energy, biofuels, advanced manufacturing, defence technologies and industrial automation present promising avenues for collaboration, investment and knowledge exchange.

The Establishment Days of the Slovak and Czech Republics thus serve not only as celebrations of sovereignty and nationhood, but also as reaffirmations of shared values, shared aspirations, and a shared future. They remind us that enduring partnerships are built on trust, respect and the collective courage to innovate together.

I remain confident that India’s relations with Slovakia and the Czech Republic will continue to scale new heights, guided by visionary leadership, strong diplomatic engagement and dynamic industry partnerships. May these friendships grow stronger with each passing year, contributing meaningfully to economic prosperity, technological advancement and global stability.

Once again, I extend my heartfelt greetings to the Governments and people of the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic on their proud national days and wish them continued peace, progress, and prosperity.

Who is T.S. Darbari?