As India rises to global prominence, Czechia is rediscovering an old partner. Once bound by ideals of freedom and cooperation, Prague and New Delhi now face the challenge of transforming historic goodwill into a genuinely strategic relationship, one that transcends ceremony and pledges, advancing toward a long-term vision.
Key takeaways:
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Czech–Indian relations rest on a rich historical foundation but have yet to mature into a genuine strategic partnership.
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Divergent positions on Russia, China, and global security risk constraining the political depth of the relationship.
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Despite record trade and a declared strategic partnership, cooperation still lacks concrete mechanisms, a long-term roadmap, and serious engagement with climate and security.
When Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala addressed the Vibrant Gujarat Summit last January, India briefly ceased to be portrayed in the Czech media as a land of curiosities and instead appeared as a global heavyweight with a vast market and strategic clout. Czechia, in turn, was cast as a country ready to sign a strategic partnership. But what is the real nature of the relationship between these two distant countries?
Why should Czechs be interested in India at all? First, because it is the world’s fourth-largest economy, and one that continues to grow rapidly. For Czech exporters and investors, this means access to a market of more than 1.4 billion consumers. Europe, and thus Czechia, also views India through a political lens, as a counterweight to China’s rising influence in Asia and as a pivotal partner in the EU’s pursuit of a free-trade agreement with New Delhi.
In recent years, the Czech government has also made clear its ambition to engage more actively in the Indo-Pacific. In this vision, India naturally stands out as a key partner.
From Tagore to Baťa
Czechia and India share a longer, more complex history than many might realize. As early as the interwar period, Prague became a hub of Indological studies and a source of inspiration for Indian intellectuals. Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore visited Prague twice, even as diplomatic and economic ties were being established. In the 1920s, Czechoslovakia opened consulates in Bombay and Calcutta, and the Baťa company, still widely regarded in India as a local brand, began expanding across British India. In 1938, only months before the Munich Agreement, Indian independence leader Jawaharlal Nehru visited Prague, expressing solidarity with Czechoslovakia’s struggle against fascism and underscoring shared values of freedom and sovereignty. A small Central European democracy facing aggression and a vast Asian nation striving for independence thus laid the foundations of a lasting bond.
After 1947, Czechoslovakia swiftly became one of the first states to establish diplomatic relations with India. In the 1950s and 1960s, ties flourished, particularly in economic cooperation. Czechoslovak companies exported turbines and tractors, while India supplied agricultural goods and cotton. Relations cooled briefly after the breakup of Czechoslovakia, but trade soon recovered, rising from under $84 million in 1993 to over $4.1 billion in 2024.
Russia as a Dealbreaker
Politically, the picture is more nuanced. In line with the EU, Czechia has articulated a clear Indo-Pacific approach. Its 2022 Indo-Pacific Strategy emphasizes cooperation with democratic partners and names India as a “key partner.” India is, therefore, seen not only as a promising export market, but also as a potential geopolitical counterweight to China and a bridge for broader engagement across Asia.
Czech–Indian Trade Snapshot
- Czech exports to India: $1.1 billion
- Indian exports to Czechia: $3.1 billion
- Main Czech exports: automotive components, engineering products
- Main Indian exports: electronics, pharmaceuticals, textiles, metals
- Key Czech investors: Škoda, Zetor, Tatra, Doosan, Zentiva
- Key Indian investors: Infosys, Glenmark, Varroc
For India, Czechia serves as a gateway to the EU and a partner with deep engineering traditions, strong automotive capacity, and growing expertise in cybersecurity. Indian firms such as Infosys, Glenmark, and Varroc have already established a foothold in the Czech market. Yet foreign-policy differences complicate the picture. Czechia has been one of Europe’s most vocal supporters of Ukraine and a firm critic of Russia. India, by contrast, continues to pursue “strategic autonomy,” maintaining long-standing defense and energy ties with Moscow.
New Delhi’s refusal to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its continued defense cooperation with Moscow pose challenges not only for Czech diplomacy but also for potential security collaboration. Military ties that seemed promising after General Bipin Rawat’s 2021 visit have largely stalled.
China adds another layer of complexity. Prague has taken an openly critical stance toward Beijing and cultivated closer ties with Taiwan, while India, despite its own tensions with China, maintains a pragmatic relationship through multilateral platforms. Recent images of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi alongside the Chinese and Russian presidents reflected participation in the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, not a shift in alignment.
Partnership or Just a Gesture?
Despite these differences, Czech and Indian leaders meet regularly, if not frequently, at the highest level. President Ram Nath Kovind’s 2018 visit to Prague was the first by an Indian head of state in half a century. Czech ministers regularly attend prominent Indian forums, such as the Raisina Dialogue and the Vibrant Gujarat Summit. At the latter, in January 2024, Prime Ministers Fiala and Modi signed an agreement aimed at bringing bilateral cooperation into the 21st century. This Strategic Partnership on Innovation is ambitious, promising collaboration in cybersecurity, clean energy, healthcare, and artificial intelligence. Yet implementation still lacks tangible mechanisms, dedicated funding for joint research, exchange platforms for scientists, or institutional support for universities and startups.
Without such tools, the partnership risks remaining a well-intentioned declaration gathering dust. And can it truly be called “strategic” if it skirts more sensitive areas such as security cooperation or climate diplomacy? Both countries understand that technology will shape the next stage of global competition. However, to build a sustainable relationship, ministerial-level agreements must be complemented by bottom-up efforts that foster awareness, expertise, and public understanding.
Here, a significant gap persists. While Czechs are beginning to recognize India’s economic potential, much of the public still views it through worn-out stereotypes—yoga, Bollywood, spicy food. Efforts to change this image are emerging but remain limited. Prague hosts an annual Indian Film Festival, and in October 2024, the India–Czech Friendship Forum was launched to promote cultural and community exchange. Bollywood’s long-standing love affair with Prague has helped raise Czechia’s profile in India and boost tourism, but the engagement still revolves largely around picturesque landmarks. Academic exchanges and joint research projects remain on the margins.
What’s Next
The long-awaited EU–India free-trade agreement could transform the dynamics of the Czech–Indian partnership. If concluded, it would streamline bureaucracy, open India’s market to Czech firms, and make it easier for Indian companies to enter the EU. Such a deal would create opportunities not only for the automotive and pharmaceutical sectors but also for IT, innovation, and services.
Still, several obstacles remain, including a surprisingly basic one: there is no direct flight between Prague and any major Indian city. Following the recent Czech elections in October and potential shifts in foreign policy, debates have resurfaced over the Visegrad Group’s role in engaging with India. If Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and Czechia can align their interests, Central Europe could gain a stronger collective voice in New Delhi, provided regional cooperation does not eclipse mutually beneficial bilateral ties.
Although Czech–Indian relations are built on a rich historical foundation and a shared drive for innovation, much remains to be done before they reach the level of a genuine strategic partnership. The next step should be to rediscover not only the economic but also the values-based dimension that once defined the relationship between Prague and Delhi, just as it did before the Second World War.
