This article covers the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), visits in both directions, the Foreign Office Consultations, and agreements on legal and electoral cooperation. It is based on the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) bilateral brief on India and Bosnia & Herzegovina dated July 2026.

Establishment of relations

According to the MEA brief of July 2026, diplomatic relations with BiH were established in 1995. The brief describes relations between India and BiH as warm and friendly. The two countries' diplomatic missions are described in the practical article of this guide.

Visits from Bosnia and Herzegovina

The first ever visit to India by a Bosnian Foreign Minister took place in May 2003. FM Mladen Ivanic met the Prime Minister, the External Affairs Minister and the Commerce Minister, and an interactive session with CII was also held.

Later visits from BiH recorded in the brief are:

  • the BiH Minister for Justice and the Minister for IT and Transport, in 2009 and 2010
  • Mr. Edin Dilberovic, Assistant Minister of BiH, for the 2nd Foreign Office Consultations in April 2011
  • Dr. Zlatko Lagumdzija, Foreign Minister, accompanied by a business delegation, in March 2013, when he met the External Affairs Minister
  • Dr. Ahmet Santic and Dr. Suad Arnautovic, members of the Central Election Commission, in January 2017
  • Mr. Elmedin Konakovic, Foreign Minister, in February 2024, to take part in the Raisina Dialogue

The visit of the Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations in December 2016 is covered in the trade and investment article.

Visits from India

Smt. Preneet Kaur, then Minister of State for External Affairs, visited BiH in July 2012 on a first-ever Ministerial visit, accompanied by a high-level CII business delegation.

The first ever visit at Cabinet Minister level took place in July 2016, when Shri Suresh P. Prabhu, Minister of Railways, visited BiH. He met the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, Mr. Mirko Sarovic, the Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Amer Kapetanovic, and the Prime Minister of the Federation of BiH, Mr. Fadil Novalic.

Foreign Office Consultations

Four rounds of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) have been held:

  • 1st FOC: Sarajevo, December 19, 2002
  • 2nd FOC: New Delhi, April 5, 2011
  • 3rd FOC: Sarajevo, 21-22 April 2014
  • 4th FOC: Sarajevo, 28th November, 2024

At the 4th FOC, discussions focused on progress in political relations, trade and investments, cooperation in S&T, cultural relations, and people-to-people contacts through students and youth exchange and the promotion of tourism between the two countries.

The brief lists the following agreements outside the field of trade:

  • Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, signed in 2009
  • Agreement on Transfer of Sentenced Persons, signed in December 2012; the Instruments of Ratification were exchanged in May 2017
  • MoU on Cooperation between the Central Election Commission of BiH and the Election Commission of India, signed in January 2017 during the visit of the two members of the Central Election Commission

Trade and investment agreements are listed in the trade and investment article, and the Air Services Agreement in the practical article.