PM Modi shares Serbian President’s article on AI, highlights his fondness for India
New Delhi, Feb 18 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday shared an article authored by President Aleksandar Vucic of the Republic of Serbia, in which the Serbian leader reflects on artificial intelligence, India’s growing role in the global AI ecosystem, and his personal admiration for the country.
Taking to the social media platform X, the Prime Minister described the piece as both insightful and warm in its tone towards India.
“A fine article by President Aleksandar Vučić of the Republic of Serbia, in which he talks about AI, of course, but at the same time highlights his fondness for India, India’s strides in AI and strong India-Serbia relations,” PM Modi wrote.
Along with his post, PM Modi also shared a message by President Vucic posted on X, who said he was glad to be in India to participate in the AI Impact Summit 2026.
“Glad to be in India and participate in the AI Impact Summit 2026. President of Serbia writes: AI Summit places India at the centre of the global discourse | The Indian Express,” Vucic posted.
The Serbian President’s article, published in The Indian Express, combines personal recollections with broader geopolitical and economic observations. It also underlines Serbia’s interest in strengthening its engagement with India, particularly in the technology and innovation sectors.
In the opening of his article, Vucic said he felt a strong sense of exhilaration upon arriving in Delhi for the AI Impact Summit, which he described as ambitious and globally significant.
“As I arrive in Delhi to participate in the ambitious India AI Impact Summit, I feel an almost irrepressible sense of exhilaration. It is a feeling born of seeing a nation I have long admired thrive – and forge a path to success for its peers,” he wrote.
He praised India’s ability to maintain unity despite its vast diversity, calling the country a living example of pluralism.
“India’s ability to maintain unity in multiplicity has always fascinated me. As one of the world’s largest republics, encompassing myriad languages, religions, cultures and traditions, the country exemplifies a living, dynamic pluralism,” he said.
Vucic also wrote about how his admiration for India deepened during his time in London in the 1990s, when he worked in a job far removed from politics and diplomacy.
“But what truly cemented my affection for India was my first exposure to its people during an earlier chapter of my life, when I worked in London in the 1990s,” he wrote, adding that those experiences helped shape his character and worldview.
The Serbian President described his long working hours and physically demanding routine, calling it a lesson in humility and discipline.
“I arrived at work each morning before dawn and left only after twelve hours on my feet, often ending the day with a mop to the floors. It was hard, honest work, and it served as an early apprenticeship in discipline and humility,” he said.
He added that among those he worked with, the people he saw working the hardest were Indians, including a Sikh manager from Punjab and the Sagar family.
“The only people who worked even harder were the Indians that I befriended: my manager, a Sikh gentleman from Punjab, and the Sagar family. The Sagars worked with an indefatigable sense of purpose. They were generous, spoke little of themselves, and yet taught me something profound about perseverance and dignity,” he wrote.
Vucic noted that at a time when many Europeans underestimated India and Indians, the work ethic and determination he witnessed made him think otherwise.
“At a time when many Europeans around me were habituated to underestimating India and Indians alike, the quiet determination and industry of my colleagues and friends made me think otherwise,” he added.
Vucic also referred to discussions at this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos, where, according to him, some voices suggested that India may remain in a “second tier” among global AI powers.
He said he disagreed with that assessment and argued that India’s approach is grounded in real-world application and inclusive innovation.
“I was reminded of this conviction at this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos. Among the many voices in a discussion on artificial intelligence was a perspective suggesting that India might occupy a ‘second tier’ among global AI powers. I must respectfully disagree,” he wrote.
He said India’s AI strategy is focused less on developing headline-grabbing models and more on deploying technology for practical outcomes in sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education and financial inclusion.
“India’s approach to AI emphasises real-world deployment, ethical standards and inclusive innovation,” he said, citing remarks made by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at Davos.
The Serbian President described the India AI Impact Summit as more than just a conference, calling it a platform that places India firmly at the centre of global discussions on artificial intelligence.
“The India AI Impact Summit, therefore, is more than a conference. It places India firmly at the centre of the global discourse on artificial intelligence,” he wrote.
He said the summit’s objective was to understand how AI can be deployed responsibly, inclusively and at scale to solve real-world challenges.
According to him, the summit reflects PM Modi’s ambition to democratise access to technology and ensure AI is not restricted to a privileged few.
“Animated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambition to democratise access to the benefits of new technology, it seeks to ensure that AI is not the preserve of a privileged few, but an engine of inclusive development and collective advancement,” he said.
Vucic also spoke about the long-standing relationship between Serbia and India, noting that ties are rooted in cooperation, mutual respect and expanding economic engagement.
“Today, relations between Serbia and India are anchored in a strong history of cooperation, mutual regard and expanding economic ties,” he wrote.
He referred to the 2018 commemorative stamps jointly released by the two nations to mark 70 years of diplomatic relations, featuring Swami Vivekananda and Nikola Tesla.
“In 2018, to memorialise seventy years of diplomatic relations, our two countries jointly released commemorative stamps featuring Swami Vivekananda and Nikola Tesla — emblems of spiritual insight and scientific ingenuity whose legacies transcend borders,” he said.
Vucic also appreciated India’s support for Serbia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
“India has also been steadfast in supporting Serbia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, including on the issue of Kosovo, maintaining a principled stance of non-recognition of its unilateral declaration of independence in 2008,” he added.
The Serbian President noted that bilateral trade between Serbia and India, currently around $400 million, has continued to grow, but he said there remains significant untapped potential.
“While bilateral trade between Serbia and India – currently standing at around $400mn – has continued to grow, there remains vast untapped potential,” he wrote.
He pointed out that Indian companies are already active in Serbia in areas such as IT, manufacturing and automotive components, but stressed that both sides must aim higher.
“These are encouraging indicators, but we can and must aim higher,” he said.
Vucic advocated for stronger connectivity, simplified trade arrangements, and sustained investment in innovation-driven partnerships. He highlighted high-growth sectors such as information technology, pharmaceuticals and renewable energy as key areas for deeper cooperation.
“Our shared ambition should be to broaden and intensify economic engagement through enhanced connectivity, simplifying and streamlining trade arrangements, and fostering sustained investment in innovation-driven partnerships,” he said.
Beyond trade and technology, Vucic also said there is immense scope for cultural exchange between the two nations.
“There is immense scope, too, for cultural and creative exchange,” he wrote.
He expressed interest in seeing Indian films shot in Serbia, saying such collaborations could bring Serbia’s landscapes to a global audience while strengthening people-to-people ties.
“I would be delighted to see Indian films produced in Serbia, bringing to life our beatific landscapes and weaving together stories that resonate far beyond our frontiers,” he said.
In the concluding section, the Serbian President returned to the lessons he said he learned decades ago while working in London, particularly the importance of grit, self-belief and perseverance.
“As I reflect on the extraordinary possibilities before us, I return to the lesson I first learned decades ago on a London shop floor: that grit, equanimity, and self-belief are often the strongest engines of progress,” he wrote.
Vucic said India possesses these qualities in abundance and described PM Modi as a partner who embodies them through action rather than rhetoric.
“And, having observed him over the years, I can say that in Narendra Modi we have a partner who embodies them – not in rhetoric alone, but in unremitting action,” he wrote.
He concluded by asserting that India is no longer merely a nation waiting for its turn in the global order, but one shaping the future.
“Those who still see India as a nation waiting its turn would do well to look again. India is not arriving at the future. It is helping to define it,” he added.
