'India to enhance economic relations with Slovenia'

President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday assured Indians living abroad that the government is increasingly using technology to address their concerns.

Kovind who was addressing the Indian community and Friends of India here also said that India was committed to enhancing the economic relations with Slovenia.

"There is good potential to strengthen trade, investment, technology, and cooperation. I am hopeful that the fruitful engagements of the business delegation accompanying me with their Slovenian partners will lay down a new path of trade and technology tie-ups," Kovind said.

The president, who reached Slovenian capital Ljubljana on Monday, is on the concluding leg of his nine-day three-nation visit to Iceland, Switzerland, and Slovenia.

He also said that Overseas Citizenship of India card scheme has been made flexible for many and the Indian embassies are more proactive in dealing with the issues of the Indians.

"We have used technology especially social media to reach to your concerns. We are dealing to make consular services even more efficient," he added.

Kovind also spoke about historical relations between both India and Slovenia and said that "we are keen to deepen this people-to-people contact through tourism and through cultural exchanges".

"History of intervention between India and Slovenia goes back to ages. Centuries ago, Slovenians traveled to India by land and sea. Indian culture, philosophy continued to attract them to our countries," he said.

"Slovenia's beauty is also attracting a large number of Indian tourists. Many Indian movies have also ben shot in this charming country."

This is President Kovind's first-ever state visit to the country.

Slovenia has a very small Indian community of about 150 people, comprising mainly of students and Person of Indian Origins living in the country, according to an official statement.

Total bilateral trade in 2018 increased by 33.79 per cent from 270.01 million euros to 361.25 million euros. India has continuously enjoyed a trade surplus with Slovenia. Slovenia identified India as one of its strategic focus markets in 2013, the statement said.