"I invite Moldovan businesses to come and explore India": President Murmu in Moldova
Chisinau, July 20
President Droupadi Murmu, along with President Maia Sandu of Moldova, addressed the India-Moldova Business Forum in Chisinau on Monday.
Addressing the India- Moldova Business Forum here, President Murmu highlighted the deepening engagement between the two nations and emphasised that the visit reflects India's commitment to strengthening ties across political, economic, and cultural spheres.
"My visit to Moldova as the first State visit by an Indian President reflects India's commitment to deepening engagement with Moldova in all spheres, including political, economic, cultural and people-to-people ties," she said in her address.
Addressing a gathering of leading business representatives, members of 'Invest Moldova', and a high-level Indian business delegation, President Murmu noted that the partnership is rooted in mutual respect and democratic values established since 1992.
Urging Moldovan businesses to explore the Indian market, the President assured them of a "transparent, predictable, and investor-friendly business environment" in India.
"I invite Moldovan businesses to come and explore India," President Murmu said.
Simultaneously, President Murmu encouraged the Indian delegation to capitalise on Moldova's talented human capital and strategic location.
"I also encourage Indian businesses to look at the opportunities in Moldova. Your enterprise, vision and commitment will be instrumental in building enduring economic partnerships," she said.
"I am confident that today's interactions will lay the foundation for new partnerships and innovative collaborations, taking economic cooperation between India and Moldova to new heights," the President said, for a "new chapter" in the economic partnership between the two nations.
"Let us work together to write a new chapter in the India-Moldova economic partnership," she said.
In her inaugural address, the President said that India and Moldova have enjoyed warm and friendly relations since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992. "Our partnership is based on mutual respect, democratic values and a shared commitment to peace, development and international cooperation," she said.
"As India advances towards its vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, we seek partnerships built on trust and shared prosperity," President Murmu stated.
Highlighting India's status as one of the world's fastest-growing major economies, President Murmu pointed to India's digital transformation and manufacturing excellence as key drivers that complement Moldova's reform-oriented outlook and strategic access to European markets.
A key highlight of the address was the growing cooperation in the energy sector. President Murmu revealed that Indian companies are currently implementing a crucial high-voltage transmission line connecting Chisinau with Romania.
"I am greatly encouraged by the growing cooperation in the energy sector. I have been told that a high-voltage transmission line connecting this city with Romania is being implemented by Indian companies, which will contribute to enhancing Moldova's energy resilience and regional connectivity. Indian companies are interested in participating in the development projects of Moldova in renewable energy sector including solar energy, battery storage, smart grids, green hydrogen and other clean technologies," she said.
"There is immense potential for collaboration across diverse sectors such as digital technologies, artificial intelligence, cyber-security, fin-tech, digital public infrastructure, infrastructure development, renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, logistics, agriculture, food processing, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and healthcare. I am happy that most of these sectors are represented here today," President Murmu said.
The forum, attended by top industry leaders from both sides, is expected to result in several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at boosting trade and technological exchange.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good initiative, but I wonder how many actual business deals will come from forums like these. India always talks about "exploring opportunities" but the ground-level implementation often lacks follow-through. Hope this visit results in concrete MOUs and not just photo ops.
The geopolitical angle here is fascinating! Moldova is literally sandwiched between Ukraine and Romania, right in the middle of the EU-Russia tension zone. India positioning itself as a non-aligned partner is smart. And we're helping with energy resilience too - very strategic move 🇮🇳
I visited Moldova last year for work - tiny country, beautiful wine culture, but they're desperate for investment. Indian companies could actually make serious inroads there, especially in IT and pharma. The talent pool is educated and cheap. Hope our business delegation takes this seriously.
If Modi government can focus on such niche diplomatic engagements while handling domestic issues, that's commendable. But my question is - will this help Indian farmers? Moldova is a major agricultural country too. We could learn from their wine and fruit processing industries. Food processing sector mentioned in the speech - hope that bears fruit! 🍇
Love that President Murmu mentioned cybersecurity, AI, and fintech as potential areas! India's UPI success story is something many European countries are watching. Moldova could be a good test case for digital public infrastructure exports. Small countries can scale faster. Smart thinking 👏
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