Indian NDC delegation begins Romania study tour at Carol I University
Synopsis
A 15-member Indian National Defence College delegation has arrived in Romania for a structured study tour, engaging NATO-member Romania's premier military university just weeks after both countries finalised a Bilateral Defence Cooperation Plan covering cyber defence, joint training, and industrial collaboration — and as bilateral trade hit $1.2 billion in 2025.
Key Takeaways
A 15-member Indian NDC delegation led by Maj Gen H S Bajaj, VSM commenced a study tour of Romania on 9 June 2026 .
Engagements at Carol I National Defence University in Bucharest covered strategic planning, geopolitics, and emerging security challenges.
The visit follows the 2nd JCDC meeting in New Delhi on 26 May 2026 , where India and Romania finalised a Bilateral Defence Cooperation Plan .
The plan covers cyber defence , military medical cooperation, joint training, capacity building, and defence industrial collaboration.
Romania-India bilateral trade reached $1.2 billion in 2025 , up 20% year-on-year .
High-level visits between the two countries are reportedly expected later in 2026 .
An Indian National Defence College (NDC) delegation on Tuesday, 9 June 2026, commenced its study tour of Romania, opening with substantive engagements at Carol I National Defence University in Bucharest. The visit signals deepening defence ties between the two nations at a time when bilateral cooperation is being formalised across multiple domains.
The Delegation and Its Agenda
The 15-member NDC delegation is led by Major General H S Bajaj, VSM. According to the Embassy of India in Bucharest, discussions at Carol I National Defence University covered strategic planning, geopolitics, and emerging security challenges. The embassy described the exchanges as underscoring 'the growing depth of India-Romania defence cooperation.'
Recent Bilateral Defence Milestones
The study tour follows closely on the heels of the 2nd Meeting of the Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation (JCDC) between India and Romania, held in New Delhi on 26 May 2026. The meeting was co-chaired by Joint Secretary (International Cooperation) Dr Amit Telang and Romania's Lieutenant General Engineer Liviu-Mihail Iancu, Deputy Chief of the Department for Defence Policy, Planning and International Relations.
At that meeting, both sides reviewed ongoing cooperation and finalised a Bilateral Defence Cooperation Plan spanning cyber defence, military medical cooperation, joint training, capacity building, and defence industrial collaboration. Romania's head of delegation also paid tributes at the National War Memorial in New Delhi.
Diplomatic Momentum at the Foreign Minister Level
The defence engagement sits within a broader diplomatic push. In May 2026, Romania's Foreign Minister Oana Toiu met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on the sidelines of an informal European Union foreign ministers' meeting — known as the Gymnich — in Cyprus. The Embassy of India noted that Romania-India bilateral trade reached $1.2 billion in 2025, up 20 per cent year-on-year, with cooperation in defence, renewables, and industry on the agenda. High-level visits between the two countries are reportedly expected later this year.
Why This Matters
The NDC study tour is part of a structured pattern of military-to-military engagement that India has been expanding with European partners. Romania, as a NATO member state on the Eastern flank and a growing trade partner, represents a strategically relevant node for India's defence diplomacy. Notably, the formalisation of a Bilateral Defence Cooperation Plan — with specific pillars including cyber and industrial collaboration — marks a step beyond routine exchanges toward institutionalised partnership. The NDC delegation's presence at Carol I University also carries an educational dimension, with exposure to European strategic thinking that could inform India's own defence planning frameworks.
Point of View
It offers a window into alliance-era strategic thinking that India's military planners increasingly need exposure to. The formalisation of a Bilateral Defence Cooperation Plan with specific pillars like cyber and industrial collaboration is a structural upgrade from the largely ceremonial exchanges of the past. What remains to be seen is whether the 'high-level visits expected later this year' translate into concrete procurement or co-production agreements — the real metric of defence partnership depth.
NationPress
25 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Indian NDC delegation doing in Romania?
A 15-member Indian National Defence College delegation, led by Major General H S Bajaj, VSM, is on a study tour of Romania that began on 9 June 2026. The delegation is engaging with Carol I National Defence University in Bucharest, with discussions focused on strategic planning, geopolitics, and emerging security challenges.
What is the India-Romania Bilateral Defence Cooperation Plan?
The Bilateral Defence Cooperation Plan was finalised at the 2nd Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation meeting held in New Delhi on 26 May 2026. It covers cyber defence, military medical cooperation, joint training, capacity building, and defence industrial collaboration between India and Romania.
How strong is India-Romania trade?
Romania-India bilateral trade reached $1.2 billion in 2025, representing a 20 per cent increase year-on-year, according to the Embassy of India in Bucharest. Cooperation in defence, renewables, and industry is reportedly on the agenda for further expansion.
Who co-chaired the India-Romania JCDC meeting in May 2026?
The 2nd JCDC meeting was co-chaired by India's Joint Secretary (International Cooperation) Dr Amit Telang and Romania's Lieutenant General Engineer Liviu-Mihail Iancu, Deputy Chief of the Department for Defence Policy, Planning and International Relations.
Did India and Romania hold any diplomatic meetings recently?
Yes. In May 2026, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Romania's Foreign Minister Oana Toiu on the sidelines of the Gymnich — an informal EU foreign ministers' meeting — in Cyprus. High-level visits between the two countries are reportedly expected later in 2026.
