India-Serbia Relations Explained

India-Serbia relations are the bilateral ties between the Republic of India and the Republic of Serbia, a friendship that grew out of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) partnership between Jawaharlal Nehru and Josip Broz Tito and that now covers diplomacy, modest trade, cultural exchange and cooperation on questions of sovereignty and territorial integrity. Serbia is the principal successor state of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and India treats the long history of contact with Yugoslavia as the foundation of today’s relationship.

India and Serbia are geographically distant and economically small partners for each other, yet the political warmth of their relationship has remained steady for more than seven decades. This explainer covers how India-Serbia relations developed, what the two sides cooperate on, how sensitive issues such as Kashmir and Kosovo are approached, and what the practical outlook is. It was last reviewed on 17 October 2026.

Key Takeaways

• India and Yugoslavia established diplomatic relations in 1948, and India-Serbia relations continue that tradition after Yugoslavia dissolved in the 1990s.
• The first summit of the Non-Aligned Movement took place in Belgrade in September 1961, and India’s Jawaharlal Nehru and Yugoslavia’s Josip Broz Tito were among its principal founders.
• India has not recognised Kosovo’s 2008 declaration of independence, and India’s public line stresses respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.
• Serbia has traditionally described Kashmir as a bilateral matter between India and Pakistan and has expressed understanding of India’s position.
• Bilateral trade between India and Serbia is small compared with India’s trade with major European economies, and the main Indian exports include pharmaceuticals, machinery and vehicles.
• Serbia has been an official candidate for European Union membership since 2012, which shapes its trade rules and its dealings with partners such as India.

How did India-Serbia relations begin?

India-Serbia relations began as India-Yugoslavia relations: India and the Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia established diplomatic ties in 1948, shortly after India’s independence and in the same year that Yugoslavia broke with Soviet domination. Both governments were looking for an independent course between the Cold War blocs, and each saw the other as a natural partner.

Nehru and Tito met several times in the 1950s. Nehru visited Yugoslavia in the mid-1950s, Tito travelled to India, and in 1956 the two leaders met with Egypt’s Gamal Abdel Nasser on the Brijuni (Brioni) islands off the Adriatic coast, a meeting often cited as part of the intellectual groundwork of the Non-Aligned Movement. The islands lie in present-day Croatia, which was then a constituent republic of Yugoslavia.

Cooperation during these decades included trade settled in rupee-linked arrangements, exchanges of scientists and artists, and parallel positions in the United Nations on decolonisation, disarmament and economic fairness for developing countries. Yugoslavia had a real industrial base and engineering expertise, which allowed some technical cooperation with newly independent India.

After Yugoslavia broke apart in the early 1990s, India recognised the successor states and continued relations with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, later renamed Serbia and Montenegro. When Montenegro became independent in 2006, Serbia continued the state’s international personality, and India maintained its diplomatic presence in Belgrade.

What is the connection between India-Serbia relations and the Non-Aligned Movement?

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) connects India and Serbia because Yugoslavia was one of its five founding states, along with India, Egypt, Indonesia and Ghana, and the movement’s first summit was held in Belgrade from 1 to 6 September 1961. The conference was attended by representatives of about 25 countries and set out principles of independence from military blocs, opposition to colonialism and peaceful coexistence.

Nehru, Tito and Nasser are generally treated as the central figures of that early period, and their friendship gave the two countries a personal as well as an institutional link. In India, the Yugoslav experience of resisting Soviet pressure was seen as a parallel to India’s own insistence on strategic autonomy.

Today NAM has far less diplomatic weight than it had during the Cold War, but it remains a shared reference point. Serbia, as the main successor to Yugoslavia, preserves the memory of the movement, and in 2011 it hosted a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Belgrade summit. Indian speeches about Serbia routinely mention the NAM legacy, and Serbian leaders do the same when speaking about India.

How do India and Serbia handle Kashmir and Kosovo?

India and Serbia handle Kashmir and Kosovo by each stating its own position on sovereignty and territorial integrity and by avoiding public disputes over the other’s position. Both issues are politically sensitive, and the descriptions below reflect publicly stated official positions, not an evaluation of the merits.

Kosovo

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in February 2008. Serbia does not recognise it and regards Kosovo as part of its territory under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999). India has not recognised Kosovo’s declaration of independence, and Indian statements usually emphasise respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity and the importance of a negotiated solution. Many observers note that India’s own concerns about separatism and external involvement in internal matters shape this approach, but India has described its position in terms of principle and international law.

Kashmir

India regards the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh as integral parts of India, while Pakistan disputes this and the matter has been discussed at the United Nations. Serbia has generally said that Kashmir is an issue to be resolved bilaterally between India and Pakistan, in line with the Simla Agreement, and Serbian officials have expressed understanding of India’s concerns on terrorism.

A neutral reading

Neither country is an arbiter of the other’s dispute, and the reciprocal courtesy is best read as mutual political support at a general level. The positions do not amount to a formal legal commitment, and each side has its own wider foreign-policy priorities, including India’s relations with many countries and Serbia’s EU accession process and ties with Russia, China and the West.

How strong is trade between India and Serbia?

Trade between India and Serbia is modest, generally estimated in the range of a few hundred million US dollars a year, and it has been well below the potential suggested by the political relationship. Indian exports have usually exceeded imports from Serbia, though the numbers vary from year to year.

Several features shape the trade relationship. Serbia has a free trade agreement with the European Free Trade Association, the Eurasian Economic Union and many neighbouring countries, which gives its exporters preferential access to markets that matter more than India. India and Serbia do not have a bilateral free trade agreement, so tariffs and non-tariff barriers apply in both directions.

The two countries have signed basic economic agreements over the years, including arrangements on double taxation and investment protection, and they hold meetings of an intergovernmental mechanism to review commercial cooperation. Indian businesses interested in Serbia often view it as an entry point to the Balkans and to markets with which Serbia has trade agreements, while Serbian firms look at India’s large consumer base.

What sectors offer the most potential for cooperation?

The most promising sectors for India-Serbia cooperation are pharmaceuticals, agriculture and food processing, information technology, automotive components and renewable energy. These sectors fit the strengths of both economies and have already seen some commercial contact.

• Pharmaceuticals: India is a leading supplier of generic medicines worldwide, and Serbia has its own generic drug industry and a hospital sector that buys imported medicines.
• Agriculture and food: Serbia is known for fruit, especially raspberries, and for grain and oilseed production, while India has expertise in agri-technology, dairy and food processing.
• Information technology: Serbia has a growing software and outsourcing sector, and Indian IT firms are used to working with European clients.
• Automotive: Serbia hosts vehicle and component plants serving Europe, which can link to Indian component makers.
• Energy and infrastructure: Serbia is modernising its power system and transport links, and Indian companies have an interest in construction and renewables.

Practical obstacles include distance, limited direct air connections, language differences and low mutual awareness among small and medium enterprises. Business forums, trade fairs and embassy-supported delegations aim to address these gaps.

What defence and security contacts exist between India and Serbia?

Defence and security contacts between India and Serbia are limited but cordial, and they take place through official visits, dialogue on terrorism and security, training exchanges and occasional defence-industry meetings. The relationship is not a large arms-trade partnership.

The historical background is relevant. During the Cold War, Yugoslavia and India both avoided full integration into the major military blocs, and Yugoslavia had a considerable defence industry. In the present day, Serbia produces small arms, ammunition and some military vehicles, and Serbian firms exhibit at international defence fairs, including events in India.

India and Serbia also exchange views on counter-terrorism and on the security of Southeast Europe and South Asia. Both countries have experience with internal security challenges, and both emphasise international law in discussions of territorial questions. As a candidate for EU membership, Serbia is expected to align progressively with EU foreign and security policy, and it must balance its relations with partners including India, Russia, China, the United States and the EU.

Any significant expansion of defence cooperation would need to account for export-control rules, third-country restrictions and regional sensitivities, so analysts expect continued modest steps and not large procurement deals.

What cultural and educational ties link India and Serbia?

Cultural and educational ties link India and Serbia through Indology studies at Serbian universities, translations of Indian literature, yoga and Indian dance communities, and scholarships offered by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). These ties give the relationship a popular dimension beyond official diplomacy.

• Language and scholarship: The University of Belgrade has taught Indian languages and culture, including Hindi, and Serbian scholars have long translated Indian classical and modern literature.
• Tagore and Gandhi: Rabindranath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi are widely known figures in Serbia, and their works have been translated.
• Yoga and wellness: International Day of Yoga events are held in Belgrade each year, and Indian wellness practices have gained a following.
• Cinema and arts: Hindi films have an audience in the Balkans, and cultural exchange programmes bring dancers, musicians and artists in both directions.
• Education: Scholarships and exchange agreements support students and researchers, although numbers are small.

The Indian community in Serbia is small, and the Indian embassy in Belgrade works with Serbian institutions to organise festivals, lectures and film screenings.

How does Serbia’s European Union path affect India-Serbia relations?

Serbia’s path to European Union membership affects India-Serbia relations because it requires Serbia to adopt EU trade rules, standards and, over time, visa and foreign policy alignment. Serbia received candidate status in March 2012 and opened accession negotiations in January 2014, and the process has moved slowly.

The effects on India are concrete. Serbia introduced visa-free entry for Indian citizens in 2017 to promote tourism and business, and it later withdrew the arrangement as part of aligning its visa policy with that of the EU. Travellers should therefore check current entry rules before planning a trip. As Serbia integrates more closely with EU regulation, Indian exporters will find that EU product standards matter in Serbia as well.

At the same time, India has its own relationship with the EU, including long-running trade negotiations, so a stronger Serbian link to the EU can also be an indirect bridge to the wider European market. India supports Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in general terms and does not take a public position on its EU accession decisions.

Timeline: key points in India-Serbia relations

What is the outlook for India-Serbia relations?

The outlook for India-Serbia relations is one of steady, low-key friendship with scope for gradual growth in trade, investment, tourism and technology, though large leaps are unlikely in the short term. The shared history gives both governments a reason to keep up high-level contact, and Serbia’s central position in the Balkans makes it a useful partner for Indian businesses looking at Southeast Europe.

Several factors will shape the future. Serbia’s EU negotiations, its regional relations and its balancing between major powers will influence how closely it can partner with India. For India, priorities in the Indo-Pacific, the Middle East and major European economies are likely to remain ahead of the Balkans, but India’s wider outreach to Central and Eastern Europe has increased in recent years. Better air connectivity, business networks and online platforms could raise awareness on both sides.

Bottom Line

India-Serbia relations rest on a durable Cold War friendship and on shared language about sovereignty and international law. The economic relationship is smaller than the political one, so the main task is turning goodwill into trade, investment and people-to-people contact.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are India and Serbia considered friendly countries?

India and Serbia are considered friendly because of the historic friendship between Jawaharlal Nehru and Josip Broz Tito and the shared founding of the Non-Aligned Movement. Yugoslavia, of which Serbia is the main successor, was one of NAM’s five founding states, and the first NAM summit was held in Belgrade in 1961.

Does India recognise Kosovo as an independent country?

No, India has not recognised Kosovo’s 2008 declaration of independence. Indian statements stress respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, while Serbia does not recognise Kosovo either and regards it as part of its territory.

What is Serbia’s position on Kashmir?

Serbia has generally said that Kashmir is a matter for India and Pakistan to resolve bilaterally. Serbian officials have also expressed understanding of India’s concerns about terrorism, though Serbia does not take on the role of a mediator.

How much trade is there between India and Serbia?

Bilateral trade between India and Serbia is modest, usually in the range of a few hundred million US dollars a year. India mainly exports pharmaceuticals, machinery, vehicles and chemicals, while Serbia sends machinery, metal products and food items, and exact figures differ by year.

Do Indian citizens need a visa for Serbia?

Indian citizens generally need a visa to enter Serbia now, because the visa-free arrangement introduced in 2017 was later withdrawn during Serbia’s alignment with EU visa policy. Rules can change, so travellers should confirm the latest requirements with the Serbian authorities or the nearest Serbian embassy.

Is Serbia a member of the European Union?

No, Serbia is not a member of the European Union, but it has been an official candidate country since 2012. Accession negotiations began in 2014, and progress depends on reforms in areas such as the rule of law and on relations with Kosovo.

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