President Droupadi Murmu concluded the final leg of her three-nation State Visit to Eastern Europe with a visit to Romania from 23 to 25 July 2026, marking the first State Visit by an Indian President to Romania in nearly three decades. The visit followed earlier stops in Moldova and North Macedonia, and was undertaken at the invitation of Romanian President Nicusor Dan.
The President reached Bucharest on 23 July 2026 and was warmly received at the airport by Ms Oana-Silvia Țoiu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania. She was accompanied on the visit by Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Smt. Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya, and Members of Parliament Dr. Dinesh Sharma and Shri Vijay Baghel.
The President visited Cotroceni Palace, the official residence and office of the President of Romania, where she was received by President Nicusor Dan and accorded a ceremonial welcome and guard of honour. During one-to-one and delegation-level talks, the two leaders held discussions covering all major dimensions of the India-Romania bilateral partnership and agreed to deepen cooperation across priority areas.
In her press statement, President Murmu noted that India and Romania have shared a warm friendship for over seven decades, founded on mutual trust, respect and strong people-to-people ties, with the partnership now entering a new phase of greater ambition.
On economic cooperation, the two leaders agreed to promote trade and investment, strengthen resilient supply chains, and encourage closer collaboration between the business communities of the two countries, with a goal of doubling bilateral trade over the next three years. The President also underlined that Romania is an important partner for India within the European Union, and that the India-EU Free Trade Agreement would open unprecedented opportunities for industries and skilled professionals of both countries.
Three agreements in the fields of education, culture and people-to-people contacts were signed during the visit. These provide for expanded joint research and development under the Programme of Cooperation in Science and Technology, the establishment of an Indian Studies Chair at the University of Bucharest with support from the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, and a decision by the Government of India to double training opportunities for Romania under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme.
The two sides agreed that as India and Romania prepare to mark the 80th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2028, the occasion will be commemorated as the “India-Romania Year of Innovation.”
On 24 July 2026, the President paid her respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Bucharest, a monument that embodies Romania’s gratitude to its fallen soldiers and stands as a national symbol of patriotism, unity and peace. She then held wide-ranging discussions on India-Romania bilateral relations with Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan at Victoria Palace. Later in the day, President Murmu addressed the India-Romania Business Forum in Bucharest, in the presence of President Nicusor Dan, members of the Government of Romania, and business leaders and industry association representatives from both countries.
Addressing the forum, she said that India’s vision of “Viksit Bharat 2047” aims to transform the country into a developed nation by the centenary of its Independence, adding that this journey presents immense opportunities for international partnerships, investment and technology collaboration, and she urged Romanian companies to participate actively in India’s growth story. She further observed that India’s globally recognised Digital Public Infrastructure, thriving start-up ecosystem and leadership in information technology can complement Romania’s strengths in software engineering, cyber-security, research and advanced technologies.
