President Murmu to visit Moldova, North Macedonia, Romania from July 19-25
New Delhi, July 17
President Droupadi Murmu will undertake State Visits to Moldova, North Macedonia and Romania from July 19 to 25, marking India's diplomatic outreach to Eastern Europe with two first-ever presidential visits and the first visit by an Indian President to Romania in more than three decades, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday.
According to the MEA official press release, President Murmu will visit Moldova on July 20 at the invitation of President Maia Sandu, becoming the first Indian President to travel to the country.
She will hold delegation-level talks with President Sandu, meet Parliament President Igor Grosu, interact with members of the Moldova-India Parliamentary Friendship Group, address a Business Forum and engage with the Indian community.
The MEA said, "This is the first ever visit by an Indian President to Moldova." It added that the visit "would mark a significant and historical milestone and elevate bilateral ties to a broad-based partnership."
The ministry noted that India and Moldova enjoy warm and friendly relations and highlighted opportunities for cooperation in agriculture, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, information technology (IT) and education.
President Murmu will then travel to North Macedonia from July 21 to 22 at the invitation of President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, in what will also be the first-ever visit by an Indian President to the country.
During the visit, she will hold bilateral talks with President Siljanovska-Davkova, meet Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and the President of the Assembly, address the Assembly of North Macedonia and speak at the India-North Macedonia Business Forum.
The MEA said, "This will be the first ever visit by an Indian President to North Macedonia," adding that both countries have a keen interest in expanding economic cooperation in priority sectors including agriculture, pharmaceuticals, science and technology, information technology and IT-enabled services.
President Murmu's final stop will be Romania from July 23 to 25 at the invitation of President Nicusor Dan. The visit will be the first by an Indian President to Romania in over three decades.
In Romania, the President will meet President Nicusor Dan, interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, Senate President Mircea Abrudean, Chamber of Deputies President Sorin Grindeanu and members of the Romania-India Parliamentary Friendship Group. She will also address the India-Romania Business Forum and interact with members of the Indian community.
Highlighting Romania's significance, the MEA said, "Romania is a valuable partner in the European Union and with the conclusion of India-EU Free Trade Agreement, bilateral economic partnership would strengthen further in the coming years."
Emphasising the broader strategic significance of the tour, the ministry said, "The State Visit to three countries by the Hon'ble President reflects the importance India attaches to strengthening its bilateral ties with these countries along with India's engagement with the wider Eastern European region."
— ANI
Reader Comments
First-ever visits to Moldova and North Macedonia, and first in 30 years to Romania - this shows India is finally paying attention to Eastern Europe. These countries have potential in sectors like IT and pharma where we excel. Hope our business forums lead to concrete deals and more Indian students and professionals getting opportunities there. Good initiative!
Impressive diplomatic itinerary. While these countries may not be economic powerhouses, building relationships across Europe is smart diplomacy. The focus on agriculture and education cooperation could benefit both sides. I particularly like the emphasis on parliamentary friendship groups - people-to-people connections matter.
Good to see our President actively engaging with smaller nations too, not just the big powers. These visits might seem low-key but they build long-term goodwill. Having said that, I hope the government also focuses on domestic issues back home - farmers' problems, inflation, unemployment. Foreign visits are important but development at home should not suffer. Balance is key.
As someone who has worked with Romanian IT firms, I can vouch for the potential here. Many Eastern European countries have excellent tech talent and are looking for partners in AI and software development. India's IT industry can greatly benefit from such collaborations. The timing is perfect as Europe seeks to diversify its partnerships. Thumbs up! 👍
Happy to see India reaching out to more European nations. These visits may not make headlines but they are crucial for building bridges. The mention of India-EU Free Trade Agreement is promising - hope it materializes soon. Would also love to see more cultural exchanges and student scholarships to these countries
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