Serbia -India Joint Issue

Serbia – India Joint Issue

70 Years of Diplomatic Relations

Date of Issue :15 September 2018

 The seventy-year journey of diplomatic relations based on friendship and partnership, characterized by full mutual trust and understanding between Serbia and India, began on 8 December 1948, only a year after the Republic of India became independent, crowning the struggle of Indian people and the teachings of the great Mahatma Gandhi that final victory can be won through non-violent activism, peacefully and without bloodshed.

Following the establishment of diplomatic relations, the Non-Aligned Movement was the forum where the then SFRY and the Republic of India cooperated and worked very closely, becoming important factors of international peace and stability. The words spoken by the Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on the occasion of the visit to Belgrade in 1955. will be remembered: “Distance dividing us vanishes in the meeting of our thoughts and the foundations have been laid for a friendship that will, I believe, be of an enduring nature”.

In the decades that ensued, a series of meetings were held, visits and letters exchanged between the top leaders, contributing to the strengthening of bilateral cooperation and position of the two countries on international level. The visit to India by the then Prime Minister and the incumbent President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić to participate at the “Vibrant Gujarat Summit” in January 2017, the official visit by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić in May 2018 as well as the visit by Vice-President of the Republic of India Venkaiah Naidu to Serbia in September 2018, are an expression of unequivocal commitment of the two countries to continue along the lines of intensified bilateral dialogue and strengthening of the overall cooperation. The Republic of Serbia and the Republic of India extended a hand of friendship and solidarity to each other in the most difficult times, while the respect of international law and principles of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states constitute a common ground of the foreign policy of both countries.

Motifs on the stamps: Nikola Tesla, Swami Vivekananda

Expert collaboration: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia

Artistic realization of the stamps: stamp “Nikola Tesla” – MA Boban Savić, academic painter; stamp “Swami Vivekananda” – Indian artist Ms. Gulistaan

Courtesy - Andjelka Djokic ,  PE Post of Serbia