President Droupadi Murmu will embark on a historic three-nation tour of Moldova, North Macedonia and Romania from July 19 to July 25. The visit is an important step in the development of India's diplomatic and economic relations with Central and Eastern Europe, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday.
According to the MEA, the visit is historically significant since it is the first bilateral visit of an Indian President to both Moldova and North Macedonia. It also marks the first state visit of an Indian President to Romania in more than three decades, with the last such visit happening in 1994.
MEA Secretary (West) Sibi George said, “the tour is an indication of India’s growing engagement with Central and Eastern Europe and its continued strategic partnership with the European Union."
Historic Visit to Moldova
President Murmu will visit Moldova on July 20 at the invitation of Moldovan President Maia Sandu. She will hold delegation-level talks with President Sandu and discuss ways to deepen bilateral cooperation across various sectors.
She is scheduled to meet Igor Grosu, President of the Parliament of Moldova, and meet members of the Moldova-India Parliamentary Friendship Group.
In addition to official meetings, President Murmu will speak at a business forum to promote trade and investment between the two countries. She will also meet Indian communities living in Moldova.
The MEA said the visit is expected to improve India-Moldova relations into a more holistic and deeper cooperation with potential for cooperation in agriculture, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, information technology and education.
Strengthening Ties with North Macedonia
The President will go to North Macedonia from July 21 to July 22 at the invitation of President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova.
As part of her visit, President Murmu will have bilateral discussions with her counterpart and meet Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski. She will also meet the President of the Assembly and address the parliament, showing India’s commitment to promoting democratic and parliamentary cooperation.
She will also participate in the India-North Macedonia Business Forum, which aims to deepen cooperation in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, science and technology, information technology and IT-enabled services.
We believe the visit will open new pathways for trade, investment and technology partnerships between the two countries, foreign officials said.
Romania Visit After More Than 30 Years
The final leg of the tour will take President Murmu to Romania from July 23 to July 25, which will be India’s first state visit to Romania since 1994.
President Murmu will have a meeting during her visit with Romanian President Nicușor Dan, interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, President of the Senate Mircea Abrudean and President of the Chamber of Deputies Sorin Grindeanu.
She will also meet members of the Romania-India Parliamentary Friendship Group, address the India-Romania Business Forum and engage with the Indian diaspora.
Romania is an important partner of India in the European Union, MEA said. The recently signed India-EU Free Trade Agreement is going to further develop economic cooperation and investment opportunities between the two countries over the coming years, officials said.
Expanding India's Presence in Europe
The three-country visit is indicative of India's increasing diplomatic focus on Central and Eastern Europe as New Delhi looks to expand its strategic alliances beyond its traditional allies. The visit will also involve trade, investment, education, healthcare, technology and people-to-people relations at the same time as political engagement.
With high-level meetings, parliamentary interactions and business interactions planned across all three countries, President Murmu’s visit will strengthen India’s international reach and strengthen its partnership with Europe at a time of evolving geopolitical and economic cooperation.
