New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs announced Friday that President Droupadi Murmu will undertake state visits to Moldova, North Macedonia and Romania from July 19-25, aiming to boost relations with the three countries in a range of sectors, including trade and technology and people-to-people ties.
Murmu’s three-nation visit also complements India’s broader engagement with Europe and the strategic partnership with the European Union, the MEA said.
Interacting with reporters here, MEA Secretary (West) Sibi George said, “The three-nation visit is of considerable historic significance, as it marks the first-ever bilateral visits by an Indian president to the Republic of Moldova and the Republic of North Macedonia.”
Murmu’s visit to Romania will be the first state visit to the country by an Indian president in over three decades. The previous such visit had been undertaken in 1994, the MEA said.
“The three-nation visit reflects India’s growing engagement with central and eastern Europe, and reaffirms our commitment to strengthening our partnerships with the countries in the region. It also complements India’s broader engagement with Europe and the strategic partnership with the European Union,” George said.
The visit would be an important step in India’s engagement with Europe, and also to strengthen collaboration in “three Ts — trade, technology and tourism,” he said.
President Murmu will visit Moldova July 20 at the invitation of Moldovan President Maia Sandu. This is the first-ever visit by an Indian president to Moldova, the MEA announced earlier in the day.
During her visit, President Murmu will hold one-to-one and delegation-level talks with her counterpart. She will also meet the Moldovan Prime Minister and President of the Parliament of Moldova, Igor Grosu.
Additionally, President Murmu will interact with members of the Moldova-India Parliamentary Friendship Group, address a business forum and speak with members of the Indian community in that country, the MEA said.
The Moldovan president will also host a banquet dinner in honour of President Murmu.
“India and Moldova enjoy warm and friendly relations, based on mutual respect, democratic values and cooperation in multilateral fora, though economic engagement is yet to realise its full potential,” George said.
Moldova strongly condemned the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025 and expressed its strong support to India in its fight against terrorism.
Also, education has emerged as an “important pillar” in the bilateral relations, with a large number of Indian students pursuing medical education in Moldova, thereby strengthening people-to-people contacts, he said.
The visit provides an opportunity to review the entire spectrum of bilateral ties and discuss ways to expand cooperation and elevate bilateral relations, from political goodwill to a “broad-based partnership”, encompassing areas such as trade and investment, digital technologies, innovation, renewable energy, healthcare, education, agriculture, culture and connectivity, the MEA secretary noted.
An Indian business delegation is expected to accompany the president during her visit to Moldova.
At the invitation of the President of North Macedonia Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, President Murmu will visit North Macedonia from July 21-22. She will hold bilateral talks with the President, meet Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, and the president of the Assembly and address the Assembly of North Macedonia, the MEA said.
The president of North Macedonia will host a banquet in her honour, George said.
Murmu will also address the India-North Macedonia Business Forum.
“Both sides have keen interest in deepening economic ties in the priority sectors like agriculture, pharmaceuticals, science and technology, IT and ITES,” the MEA added.
George said North Macedonia is interested in positioning itself as a “gateway for Indian companies to Europe”.
At the invitation of Nicusor Dan, President of Romania, President Murmu will then visit Romania from July 23-25. This would be the first visit by an Indian president to the nation after a gap of over three decades, the MEA said.
During the visit, the two presidents will have one-to-one and delegation-level talks. The Romanian president will also host a banquet dinner in Murmu’s honour.
President Murmu will also meet interim Prime Minister of Romania Ilie Bolojan; President of the Senate Mircea Abrudean; and President of the Chamber of Deputies Sorin Grindeanu, as well as members of the Romania-India Parliamentary Friendship Group, it said.
President Murmu will also address the India-Romania Business Forum and have interactions with members of the Indian community.
“Romania is a valuable partner in the European Union, and with the conclusion of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, the bilateral economic partnership would strengthen further in the coming years,” the MEA added.
George said North Macedonia and Romania also condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and expressed their strong support to India in the fight against terrorism.
President Murmu’s three-nation tour reflects the importance India attaches to strengthening its bilateral ties with these countries alongside India’s engagement with the wider eastern European region, the MEA said.
When asked if an Indian mission is likely to be opened in Moldova, George said, “At this stage, there is no proposal in place to open a new embassy.”
