Dear Readers, You are holding a special issue of India Empire magazine dedicated to the Czech Republic. I warmly welcome the publication of this special issue and thank the editor of India Empire Mr. Sayantan Chakravarty for his decision to print it. It comes at a time when the partnership of our nations is getting stronger and stronger, the honorable President of India, H.E. Ram Nath Kovind paid a visit to the Czech Republic and many new business deals are being announced. In spite of that it is always useful to generate better understanding of what more can be done at business-to-business levels and to show what our country has to offer. The potential is tremendous. The Czech Republic and India have succeeded in establishing a solid basis to build on. They have enjoyed long-standing bilateral political and economic relations. Some of the Czech Republic-based companies have been present in India since the early 20th century and former Czechoslovakia was one of the first countries to officially recognize the Republic of India and establish diplomatic relations.

This special issue also comes at a special time for the Czech people. This year we’re celebrating 100th anniversary of independent Czechoslovakia. Although Czechoslovakia doesn’t exist anymore, we like to think about this moment in time as a beginning of a modern era of our history. Many things have happened in those hundred years and much has been achieved. But there is still much more to be done. I would even dare to say the best is still ahead of both countries. There is so much we can achieve together through greater understanding, more intensive economic cooperation and more frequent people-to-people contacts. The significant opportunities still to be seized are evident.

India has been successful in growing its economy at a robust pace, facing challenges and difficulties no one else in the world has to face and in spite of that becoming the fastest growing among the largest economies in the world. The numbers of Indian tourists coming to the Czech Republic are also at all time high and growing. The Indian government is working at many programs and incentives to make doing business in India simpler and more accessible. For companies from across the world, India is a vast field in which to share modern technologies and set new manufacturing capacities.