External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will embark on a five-day visit to Slovakia and the Czech Republic today. During his visit to Bratislava, Dr Jaishankar will call on Prime Minister of Slovakia Eduard Heger and will hold bilateral discussions with his Slovak counterpart Ivan Kor?ok.<br />''<br />''He will also attend the GLOBSEC 2022 Forum and speak on the topic 'Taking Friendship to the Next Level: Allies in the Indo-Pacific Region'. On the sidelines of the forum, the External Affairs Minister is scheduled to meet Minister of European and International Affairs of Austria Alexander Schallenberg.<br />''<br />''During his visit to the Czech Republic, Dr Jaishankar will hold discussions with his counterpart Jan Lipavský. The meeting will provide an opportunity for a comprehensive review of the bilateral cooperation. The Czech Republic will be taking over the EU Presidency from 1st of next month.<br />''<br />''The External Affairs Minister will also interact with a cross-section of the Diaspora, including Indian students in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.<br />''<br />''India has traditionally enjoyed close and friendly ties with both Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The External Affairs Minister's visit will impart further momentum to bilateral relations with the two Central European countries.<br />