India, June 16 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a traditional bread-and-salt welcome in Bratislava on Sunday during his historic visit to Slovakia. It is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister since the country's independence in 1993.

Sharing a photo on X, PM Modi wrote, "The welcome in Bratislava included the traditional offering of bread and salt, a beautiful reflection of Slovakia's rich cultural heritage and the values of goodwill and friendship they cherish."

In Slavic culture, this centuries-old ritual is the ultimate sign of hospitality. The guest breaks off a piece of fresh bread, dips it in salt, and eats it. While bread symbolises life, abundance, and the wish that the guest will never go hungry, the salt represen...