When did India and Estonia establish diplomatic relations?

According to the MEA brief of March 2026, diplomatic relations were established on 2 December 1991. India had re-recognised the Republic of Estonia on 9 September 1991, having first recognised it on 22 September, 1921.

Has the President of Estonia visited India?

Yes. President Mr. Alar Karis visited India from 16-20 February 2026 for the AI Impact Summit and met President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. President Lennart-Georg Meri made a State visit in February 1999.

How many India-Estonia Foreign Office Consultations have been held?

As of the brief, 13 rounds had been held since September 2001, alternately in Tallinn and New Delhi. The 13th was held in Tallinn on 3 February, 2026.

India and Estonia: diplomatic relations and milestones

This article covers the political relationship between India and Estonia: recognition and the establishment of diplomatic relations, visits and meetings at the level of heads of state, heads of government and foreign ministers, parliamentary contacts and the Foreign Office Consultations. It is based on the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) bilateral brief updated on 20 March 2026.

Recognition and diplomatic relations

According to the MEA brief of March 2026, India first recognised Estonia on 22 September, 1921, when Estonia was admitted into the League of Nations. India re-recognised the Republic of Estonia on 9 September 1991, a month after it declared its independence from the Soviet Union. Diplomatic relations were established on 2 December 1991.

The brief describes bilateral relations as cordial and friendly. The Declaration of Principles of Cooperation between the two countries entered into force in October 1993.

High-level engagements

February 2026: President Mr. Alar Karis visited India from 16-20 February 2026 to participate in the AI Impact Summit. During the visit he met President Mrs. Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
11 February 2025: Prime Minister Modi met President Alar Karis on the sidelines of the AI Action Summit in Paris.
September 2019: Prime Minister Modi met Estonia's President, Ms. Kersti Kaljulaid, on the sidelines of UNGA in New York.
August 2019: Vice President Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu visited Estonia on 20-21 August.
July 2012: Prime Minister of Estonia Mr. Andrus Ansip made a private visit to India on 16-17 July, en route to Afghanistan.
February 1999: President Mr. Lennart-Georg Meri made a State visit to India.
1992: Prime Minister Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao and President Lennart-Georg Meri met in Rio de Janeiro.

Foreign ministers

Estonian Foreign Ministers who have visited India are:

Mr. Margus Tsahkna, 21-23 February, 2024
Mr. Urmas Reinsalu, 15-16 January, 2020
Mr. Urmas Paet, February 2013 and November 2008
Mr. Trivimi Velliste, October 1993

From India, the Minister of State for External Affairs, referred to in the brief as MJA, visited Estonia on 27-28 May, 2017. Earlier visits were made by Ministers of State for External Affairs Smt. Preneet Kaur (March 2011), Shri Digvijay Singh (November 2003) and Shri Salman Khurshid (August 1995).

The brief also records these meetings between foreign ministers:

8 December 2024: the External Affairs Minister met Foreign Minister Mr. Margus Tsahkna in Bahrain, on the sidelines of the International Institute for Strategic Studies' Manama Dialogue 2024.
21-23 February 2024: the External Affairs Minister met Mr. Tsahkna when he visited Delhi to attend the Raisina Dialogue.
23 September 2022: the External Affairs Minister met Foreign Minister Mr. Urmas Reinsalu on the sidelines of UNGA in New York.
18 August 2021: the External Affairs Minister met Estonian Foreign Minister Ms. Eva-Mria Liimets in New York.
25 September 2018: External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj met Foreign Minister Mr. Sven Mikser in New York.
November 2017: Minister of State for External Affairs Gen. V.K. Singh met Mr. Mikser in Myanmar, on the sidelines of ASEM.
September 2017: the Minister of State for External Affairs (MJA) met Mr. Mikser in New York.

Parliamentary contacts

Mr. Sven Sester, Chair of the India-Estonia Parliamentary Group, and three other MPs visited India in January-February 2020.
An 11-member delegation led by Mr. Marko Mihkelson, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Estonian Parliament, visited India in March 2012.
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Shri P.K. Bansal and MPs visited Estonia in June 2011.
The President (Speaker) of the Riigikogu, Mrs. Ene Ergma, led a 10-member Parliamentary Group to India in April 2010.
Speaker of the Lok Sabha Shri Somnath Chatterjee met the Speaker of the Estonian Parliament, Mr. Toomas Varek, in June 2006.

The Estonia-India Parliamentary Friendship Group was set up by the 15th Riigikogu with 17 MPs. Its Chairman is former Foreign Minister Mr. Urmas Reinsalu.

Foreign Office Consultations

A Protocol on Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) was signed in August 1995. Since the first FOC in Tallinn in September 2001, 13 rounds have been held, alternately in Tallinn and New Delhi. As of the brief, the most recent was the 13th FOC, held in Tallinn on 3 February, 2026.