- by croatiaweek
- March 22, 2026
- in
ZAGREB, 22 March 2026 – The Croatian government this week approved a decision to send a police liaison officer to India as part of efforts to strengthen cooperation on security, migration management and labour mobility between the two countries.
The proposal was presented at the government’s 154th session by Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Davor Božinović.
The move comes amid increasingly close relations between Croatia and India, particularly following recent meetings between Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Zagreb and New Delhi.
According to the government, the decision reflects a continuation of political dialogue and growing economic and security cooperation between the two countries.
With Croatia increasingly looking towards South Asia for labour and economic cooperation, officials say stronger institutional links are needed to manage mobility and ensure security oversight.
The liaison officer will be based in India and will coordinate cooperation with local authorities and partner institutions. Their work will focus on operational information exchange aimed at combating illegal migration and organised crime, the Ministry of Interior said.
Special attention will be given to the misuse and falsification of documents, as well as preventing abuse of visas and residence and work permits.
Broader regional role
The Croatian embassy in India also covers several neighbouring countries on a non-resident basis. As a result, the liaison officer will also work with authorities in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Officials say the arrangement will help Croatian authorities carry out more efficient background checks on citizens from these countries applying for residence and work permits in Croatia.
It will also assist in verifying identities and documents in cases involving illegal border crossings.
The costs associated with deploying the police liaison officer will be covered by the Croatian state budget through funds allocated to the Interior Ministry.
The government says the initiative is part of a broader strategy to strengthen Croatia’s international security cooperation while supporting growing labour mobility between Croatia and South Asia.