Minister Anušić Meets with the Minister of Defence of the Kingdom of Norway in Oslo

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of the Republic of Croatia Ivan Anušić, accompanied by a delegation that includes the Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces (CAF), General Lieutenant Tihomir Kundid, is on an official visit to the Kingdom of Norway today and tomorrow.

As part of the visit, Minister Anušić held a bilateral meeting in Oslo today, 13 January 2026, with the Minister of Defence of the Kingdom of Norway, Tore O. Sandvik, and visited the Norwegian Defence Research Centre in Horten.

The visit is taking place at the invitation of the Norwegian Minister of Defence and aims to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation between Croatia and Norway. During the meeting, the two ministers discussed opportunities for cooperation, the security situation in Southeast Europe and the Arctic region, as well as possibilities for closer cooperation between the national defence industries of the two countries.

Minister Anušić emphasised that the Norwegian Armed Forces are undergoing intensive modernisation, and noted that Norway has not abolished compulsory military service.

“This is a very interesting and productive meeting, both for us and for the Norwegian side. Croatia seeks to  strengthen bilateral defence cooperation with Norway and to establish closer links between our defence industries. We also exchanged experiences regarding mandatory basic military training, which Croatia is reintroducing after a full 17 years. Norway has mandatory military training for both men and women, lasting from six to eighteen months, with a full participation rate,” Minister Anušić said following the meeting.
Minister Anušić also invited the Norwegian Minister of Defence to visit Croatia, among other things, to gain firsthand insight into the capabilities of the Croatian defence industry. An important topic of the meeting was the security situation in Southeast Europe, with Minister Anušić underlining that Croatia is a factor of stability in the region.

The Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces, General Lieutenant Kundid, highlighted that Norway takes a systematic approach to building the armed forces of the future.

“They invest very generously in new technologies, which are indispensable for modern military operations. When it comes to the exchange of experience, it was interesting to hear about their long-standing practice of mandatory military training, as we are reintroducing mandatory basic military training,” General Lieutenant Kundid said.

At the Norwegian Defence Research Centre, Minister Anušić and Lieutenant General Kundid were briefed on future capabilities in maritime mine countermeasures, the development of autonomous underwater vehicle technology, and inspected mine countermeasure systems.

Tomorrow, Minister Anušić and his delegation will visit Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace ASA, one of Norway’s leading defence and aerospace companies.