Bratislava/Nitra:
President Draupadi Murmu has invited Slovacian businesses to attend the ‘Make in India’ program, saying that India stands as a bright example of progress in the world of today’s uncertainties.
President Murmu visited the Jaguar Land Rover facility here on Thursday and met his Indian employees and saw the rollout of the Land Rover Defender Unit.
President Murmu arrived here in the second phase of his two-nation state trip on Wednesday, becoming only the second Indian state head to visit the Republic of Slovak. The last time an Indian President visited Slovakia 29 years ago.
Speaking at the Slovakia-India Business Forum organized by the Ministry of External Affairs, President Murmu said that Slovakia is looking for hardworking skilled workers and professionals from abroad to help meet its workforce requirements.
“I am confident that Indian talent can be a valuable partner in Slovakia’s economic progress,” she said.
The President said that India expects five trillion economy in the coming years. “And we hope to do it in partnership with our friends like Slovakia.
“India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and Slovakia, with its strong industrial base and strategic location in Europe, presents great opportunities for deep trade and investment goals,” he said.
“In today’s world of uncertainty, India stands as a bright example of progress due to its stable political environment and improvement-oriented economic agenda, which encourages the manufacturing sector, and promotes ‘ease in business’.
President Murmu said that in 10 years, both countries have collaborated in various fields and now it is time to detect the diversification of our trade baskets.
As a hub for a prominent member of the European Union and a hub for motor vehicle defense and high -tech industries, Slovakia came to benefit from India’s huge consumer market, skilled workforce and rich startup ecosystem, he said.
The President said that especially the motor vehicle sector has emerged as a strong link between Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), a subsidiary of Tata Motors between our two countries, making an important investment in Slovakia including Nitra for operation since 2018.
“It outlines the growing role of Slovakia in state -of -the -art plant productioning models such as Land Rover Discovery and defender global automobile manufacturing.
“I appreciate the contribution of the Slovacian President in facilitating this investment, which has defended our economic partners,” said President Murmu.
The President visited the plant in Nitra at a distance of 100 km from here, which makes defender and discovery vehicle for Tata Motors Jaguar Land Rover.
Inaugurated in October 2018, the plant produces 1,50,000 vehicles annually.
The Slovak government supported investment with 125 million euros in assistance.
The facility of 3,00,000 square meters leads in aluminum manufacturing and engineering expertise in Slovakia.
Since its inception, the Nitra plant has been a notable success. It has so far manufactured 5,30,000 defender and discovery vehicles.
The plant employs over 4,400 people (3,300 Slovac, 800 Ukrainians and 200 Indians) and produces two models – Land Rover Discovery and Land Rover Defender.
The President met the Indian employees, who had put a line to meet them.
JLR spokesman Slovakia Katrina Chalebova said, “We are very happy that the President visited our plant because in JLR, the Slovakia Nitra plant is the biggest investment in Slovakia from India.”
He said, “Electrification is part of our re -created strategy. In the end of this decade we are planning to produce at least one electric vehicle from each of our JLR models,” he said.
Defenders are produced only in the nitra plant and exported worldwide.
The Slovak government supported investment with 125 million euros in assistance.
(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is published by a syndicated feed.)
