Historical Background and Evolution of Relations
India and Serbia, with shared histories and mutual respect, enjoy longstanding ties, tracing back to the era of Yugoslavia. Taking history into account, as co-founders of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), India and the former Yugoslavia upheld a vision for independent and non-aligned foreign policy amidst the Cold War’s divisive politics. Serbia, following the dissolution of Yugoslavia, continued to build on this NAM legacy, fostering relations with India based on mutual sovereignty, territorial integrity, and cooperation on multiple fronts. India’s principled stance on Serbia’s sovereignty and its non-recognition of Kosovo’s independence solidify this commitment. Celebrating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2023, both nations highlighted this relationship’s enduring strength through symbolic gestures, such as a commemorative postal stamp issued by the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which featured iconic national monuments from both countries. This milestone is a testament to the diplomatic maturity and sustained goodwill between the two nations, reflecting their commitment to continued collaboration and support on various international platforms.
Deepening Engagements
Recent years have witnessed high-level visits and an expansion of economic, scientific, cultural, and defence cooperation between India and Serbia. In June 2023, President Droupadi Murmu’s state visit to Serbia marked a significant moment, being her first visit to Europe and the first such visit by an Indian head of state to Serbia. This visit underscored potential collaborations in diverse sectors, including defence technology, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and cultural cooperation. Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic joined discussions, accompanied by eight Serbian ministers, highlighting Serbia’s enthusiasm to deepen engagements with India across multiple fields. Serbia’s participation in the 2nd Voice of Global South Summit, hosted virtually by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2023, exemplifies the two nations’ shared vision of South-South cooperation. Moreover, Serbia’s growing economic engagements with India, particularly in technology, pharmaceuticals, tourism, and agriculture, have set a progressive trajectory for bilateral trade, which has seen a steady increase, totalling around USD 383.6 million in 2023. This growth reflects the increasing alignment in economic interests and the commitment to fostering a mutually beneficial trade relationship.
In addition to this, there have been certain visa policy changes that have also been made which are positively Impacting this bilateral relationship. Effective from January 1, 2023, Serbia’s withdrawal of visa-free entry for Indian nationals aligns its policy with the European Union’s regulations. While this policy change may pose a logistical adjustment, it is unlikely to strain diplomatic ties significantly. Given the historical depth of the India-Serbia relationship, such procedural shifts are manageable within the broader diplomatic framework. India and Serbia have both expressed commitment to fostering people-to-people ties, and visa facilitation can always be revisited for smoother interactions. Nonetheless, this new visa requirement could prompt discussions on easing mobility, especially for professionals, students, and tourists from India, which would help maintain the momentum of the ongoing exchanges.
Exploring Space and AI together
In recent developments, Serbia and India have identified promising avenues of collaboration in cutting-edge technological domains such as space exploration and artificial intelligence. One notable initiative is ShakthiSAT, a project launched by the Indian aerospace startup Space Kids India, aimed at encouraging young women worldwide to pursue careers in space science and technology. A key aspect of the project involves designing, manufacturing, and operating a lunar-orbit satellite entirely by a female team. Serbia’s participation in this initiative marks a significant milestone, with 101 registered Serbian participants in 2023 expressing a strong interest in acquiring knowledge and building cross-border scientific and professional connections. Serbian Minister of Science, Technological Development, and Innovation, Dr. Jelena Begovic, emphasised the importance of this initiative as a global step toward empowering women through STEM education. She also noted that Serbia has a strong representation of women in science, with over 50% of students and PhD holders being female. To further make this collaboration a successful endeavour in the long term, there is a need for developing broader frameworks and streamlined strategies for sustained collaboration between Serbia and India across technological domains.
Further deepening bilateral scientific engagement, Serbia hosted the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Summit at the Palace of Serbia in December 2024, gathering over 130 delegates and 1,000 experts from around the world. As the largest international event in the country since the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Non-Aligned Movement in Belgrade, the GPAI Summit focused on policy approaches for unlocking the transformative potential of artificial intelligence, promoting ethical and inclusive innovation, and enhancing global cooperation. Notably, Serbia assumed the GPAI presidency from India, reflecting the trust and mutual respect between the two nations. During the summit, Minister Begovic met with India’s Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Shri Jitin Prasada, to discuss opportunities for collaboration in AI and digital technologies. She highlighted Serbia’s commitment to international cooperation in accelerating technological advancement and emphasized the importance of building robust intergovernmental partnerships. Minister Begovic underscored Serbia’s strategic goal to develop effective AI governance mechanisms—ensuring technology remains both safe and innovative. Additionally, it is essential to understand that a deeper AI collaboration is only possible when private sector contributions and academic collaborations, which are essential for driving innovation, become the cornerstone of India-Serbia relations. In AI specifically, partnerships with Indian tech startups, universities, and research institutions could enhance Serbia’s capacity to implement cutting-edge solutions and digitized products.
Multipolarity and Mutual Prosperity
In the context of an evolving multipolar world, India and Serbia’s relationship serves as a model for diplomatic resilience and shared development. Both countries have maintained their autonomy in foreign policy decisions, often supporting non-aligned or neutral stances on complex global issues. Serbia’s engagement with India in forums such as NAM and the Voice of Global South Summit demonstrates its recognition of India’s role in providing a balanced perspective on global affairs. In the future, India and Serbia can strengthen their partnership by leading multilateral dialogues on issues such as climate change, regional security, and trade facilitation within international forums. Serbia’s geographical position as a bridge between the East and West, coupled with India’s strategic position in Asia, provides a unique advantage in advocating for balanced policies that support emerging economies.
Interestingly, today a multipolar world is only possible with different nation-states engaging in strategic defence and security cooperation. In this regard, defence and security cooperation have also evolved as one of the key pillars in India-Serbia relations. Following the 2019 Agreement on Defence Cooperation, regular defence interactions have taken place, and Serbian defence delegations have participated in events like India’s Aero India show in 2023. The mutual interest in defence manufacturing, military technology, and UN peacekeeping training underlines the commitment of both countries to develop a robust security partnership. India’s role as a defence exporter, with capabilities in missile systems, aircraft, and cybersecurity solutions, aligns well with Serbia’s defence modernization goals. By exploring joint research initiatives in defence technology and advanced training programmes, India and Serbia can establish a mutually beneficial defence relationship that aligns with their shared strategic interests.
Thus, to conclude, it is important to acknowledge that India and Serbia have successfully maintained a warm and productive relationship rooted in shared values and respect for sovereignty. From political solidarity in the Non-Aligned Movement era to burgeoning economic and defence cooperation, this relationship has adapted to changing global dynamics while retaining its core principles. As both countries continue to navigate a multipolar world, there is ample potential to expand collaborations in education, industrial innovation, and security. Enhanced exchanges through programmes like ICCR and ITEC, coupled with investments in critical sectors, can provide further momentum to this partnership, ensuring that India and Serbia’s friendship continues to thrive in the years to come.
Ivona Leskur is a Junior Researcher at the Institute of European Studies in Serbia and a PhD Candidate in Sociology at the University of Belgrade. Monojit Das is an independent researcher on cyber governance. Sudhanshu Kumar is a PhD candidate at the School of International Studies, JNU.