Prime Minister Narendra Modi has concluded his tour de force in Europe and across the pond, culminating in a historic visit to Zagreb. Via the visit, Modi has redrawn the geopolitical map, forging a powerful new era with a relationship with Croatia. The visit was a successful and powerful declaration of Bharat’s arrival as a global rule-maker.

The warm reception in Zagreb, as Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković welcomed Modi as the leader of a resurgent global power, set the tone for the visit. This was the crowning achievement of a historic tour that saw the Prime Minister command the world stage:

Croatia’s geographic position on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea offers India a vital maritime gateway to Central and Eastern Europe. The country’s major ports—Rijeka, Split, and Ploce—are not peripheral outlets but integral components of the European Union’s core Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T).

For India, this provides a direct and efficient logistical route for exports, offering a strategic alternative to congested traditional ports and bypassing recent disruptions in the Suez and Red Sea corridors. Where Beijing offers debt traps and economic colonialism, Modi has laid the foundation for the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), a civilisational project built on trust, partnership, and shared prosperity.

The key pronouncements highlight that Croatia is a “critical link" in this new trade chain, serving as a........

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