NEW DELHI: Czech Republic Prime Minister Andrej Babis has said his country is ready to step up Indo-Czech cooperation in defense and other sectors, and its defense minister will visit Bengaluru next month to attend Aero India.
Interacting with reporters on the sidelines of an event at the Czech Embassy here, he also hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “charismatic leader” with a “vision”.
Babis was on an official visit to India from January 17-19. He led a Czech delegation at the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2019, with Czech Republic as a partner country.
The two leaders also held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Summit. The entire gamut of bilateral relations including important global and regional issues of mutual interest was discussed during the talks, officials said.
“We discussed concretely, defense cooperation, Tatra (trucks), Skoda, our investments, possibility of a direct airline service between Delhi and Prague, tourism and other areas of cooperation,” he said when asked what the two prime ministers discussed.
Czech car maker Skoda Auto and Volkswagen Group India inaugurated a new technology centre at its Chakan manufacturing plant in Pune as part of its 2.0 India project.
Babis attended the program and also inaugurated a Center for European Studies at Symbiosis University in Pune.
Aero India 2019 will be held in Bengaluru from February 20 to 24 and the defense exhibition will see participation of top fighter-jet manufacturers, defense equipment makers and companies related to the sector.
On bilateral ties, Babis said, “Both countries have a long history of cooperation. Old Czech brands like Skoda and Bata symbolize that tie. A lot of Indians think Bata is an Indian firm, which shows the deep connect.”
Babis also unveiled a book on the journey of Ideal Jawa and Yezdi motorcycle brand in India, whose history is linked to the original motorcycle manufacturer Jawa which was founded in the then Czecholslovakia in 1929. PTI
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