President Droupadi Murmu and Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan held a substantive bilateral meeting at Victoria Palace in Bucharest on Friday, 25 July 2025, focusing on expanding cooperation across trade, investment, clean energy, connectivity, and emerging technologies. The talks form part of President Murmu's ongoing State Visit to Romania — the first by an Indian President to the country in three decades.

Key Discussions at Victoria Palace

The two leaders reviewed the full breadth of the India-Romania bilateral relationship, with a particular emphasis on economic and technology-driven sectors. Secretary (West) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Sibi George, along with other senior officials, was present during the meeting. The President's Secretariat confirmed that the discussions were 'wide ranging,' covering bilateral relations in depth.

Earlier the same day, President Murmu addressed the India-Romania Business Forum in Bucharest, signalling the centrality of commercial engagement to this diplomatic visit.

Presidential Summit at Cotroceni Palace

On Thursday, President Murmu had held a separate high-level meeting with her Romanian counterpart, President Nicusor Dan, at Cotroceni Palace. She was accorded a ceremonial welcome and a guard of honour ahead of the talks. The President's Secretariat described the discussions as 'productive and forward-looking,' encompassing major dimensions of the bilateral partnership as well as perspectives on regional, global, and multilateral developments.

On the sidelines of that summit, three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed — covering cooperation in science and technology, sports, and the establishment of a Chair of Indian Studies at the University of Bucharest. The MoUs mark a concrete institutional step in deepening people-to-people and academic ties.

Trade Target and Economic Cooperation

A headline commitment to emerge from the presidential-level talks was an agreement to work towards doubling bilateral trade within three years. The two sides also agreed to promote investment flows, strengthen resilient supply chains, and encourage closer collaboration between the business communities of both nations.

'India and Romania have shared a warm and enduring friendship for over seven decades, founded on mutual trust, respect and strong people-to-people ties. Over the years, our partnership has steadily grown stronger and is now entering a new phase marked by greater ambition, stronger cooperation and a shared vision for the future,' the President's Secretariat quoted President Murmu as saying.

Delegation and Significance of the Visit

President Murmu is accompanied on the State Visit by Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya, and Members of Parliament Dinesh Sharma and Vijay Baghel. The visit carries symbolic weight: no Indian President had made a State Visit to Romania in 30 years, and its timing — amid India's active European diplomatic outreach — underscores New Delhi's intent to deepen ties with Central and Eastern European partners.

With MoUs signed, a bilateral trade target set, and a business forum convened, the visit is expected to translate into follow-up ministerial-level engagements in the months ahead.