President Droupadi Murmu attended a banquet on Thursday hosted in her honour by Slovak President Peter Pellegrini at the historic Bratislava Castle, as part of her landmark two-day visit to Slovakia.

The event featured captivating musical performances by Slovak artists, including renditions of national anthems, symbolizing the growing cultural bond between India and Slovakia.

In a message shared on X, the President’s office expressed gratitude for the warm hospitality extended by the Slovak government and its people. President Murmu acknowledged the strong people-to-people ties, pointing to Slovakia’s appreciation of Indian traditions like yoga, Ayurveda, and cuisine.

The banquet followed a series of high-level engagements, including productive talks between President Murmu and President Pellegrini on Wednesday. The leaders reviewed India-Slovakia relations and committed to enhancing cooperation across diverse sectors.

The Indian delegation included Minister of State Nimuben Bambhaniya, Members of Parliament Dhaval Patel and Sandhya Ray, and senior officials.

The two sides witnessed the signing of two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) — one between NSIC and the Slovak Business Agency on MSME cooperation, and another between SSIFS and Slovakia’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.

President Murmu also highlighted the increasing popularity of Indian culture in Slovakia and proposed enhanced collaboration in media, entertainment, and the creative economy. She invited Slovakia to actively participate in the WAVE Summit scheduled in Mumbai from May 1–4, 2025.

Earlier, President Murmu was ceremonially welcomed at the Presidential Palace in Bratislava with a Guard of Honour and a traditional Slovak welcome involving bread and salt.

She later met the Speaker of the National Council, Richard Rasi, congratulating him on his election and reiterating the importance of parliamentary ties. She praised the tradition of the Slovak-India Friendship Group for fostering mutual understanding.

President Murmu also held in-depth discussions with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, emphasizing India’s value for its close, democratic partnership with Slovakia. Both leaders agreed to diversify ties in key areas such as defence, science, technology, and education.

This marks the first visit by an Indian President to Slovakia in nearly 30 years and is seen as a significant step toward strengthening bilateral ties and launching new initiatives. President Murmu is also expected to engage with the Indian diaspora during her stay.