President Murmu reaches Romania to deepen India ties with Eastern Europe

Bucharest,UPDATED: Jul 23, 2026 17:34 IST

President Droupadi Murmu arrived in Romania on Thursday in the last leg of her three-nation state visit to Europe, with a focus on expanding bilateral cooperation in trade, tourism and other key sectors. It is the first visit by an Indian president to Romania in more than three decades.

Her visits to Moldova on July 20 and North Macedonia from July 21 to 22 were also the first by any Indian president to those two countries. The three-nation tour reflects the importance India attaches to deepening bilateral ties with these countries and to its engagement with the wider Eastern European region.

In a post on X, the President's office said, "President Droupadi Murmu arrived in Bucharest, Romania on the last leg of her three-nation State visit. She was warmly received by Ms Oana-Silvia oiu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania at the airport." During the visit, Murmu is scheduled to meet Romanian President Nicusor Dan, interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, President of the Senate Mircea Abrudean and President of the Chamber of Deputies Sorin Grindeanu.

Murmu will also meet members of the Romania-India Parliamentary Friendship Group, address the India-Romania Business Forum and interact with members of the Indian community. Romania, spread over 2,38,397 sq km, is the largest country in South-Eastern Europe and is located on the western coast of the Black Sea, sharing borders with Ukraine, Moldova, Hungary, Serbia and Bulgaria. Around 13,500 Indians live in Romania, including about 10,000 workers.

During Murmu's visit to North Macedonia, India and that country discussed reforms of the United Nations, direct connectivity and ways to boost trade and tourism, among other issues. The two sides identified digital technology, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, automotive, agriculture and agro-products, and new technologies including AI as priority areas for cooperation. Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs Sibi George said, "North Macedonia and India work together in the multilateral fora, cooperate with each other, and also it supports India's permanent membership in a reformed UN Security Council." On direct connectivity, he said, "It is on our wish list. We will see how we can take it forward." India and North Macedonia also renewed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the health sector for another five years to strengthen collaboration through joint initiatives and technology development, including healthcare facilities.

Murmu's Romania visit rounds off a tour that has combined high-level meetings with a push to widen cooperation in sectors ranging from trade and tourism to technology and healthcare, while underlining India's outreach to Eastern Europe.

With PTI Inputs

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