Murmu in Skopje: India, North Macedonia agree to double bilateral trade
Synopsis
India's first-ever presidential visit to North Macedonia ended with a pledge to double bilateral trade and pull Skopje into India's global sustainability alliances. President Murmu's Skopje stop is a quiet but deliberate expansion of India's diplomatic footprint into the Western Balkans — a region where New Delhi has rarely ventured at this level.
Key Takeaways
President Droupadi Murmu visited Skopje on 21 July — the first-ever visit by an Indian President to North Macedonia.
India and North Macedonia agreed to double bilateral trade and strengthen investment and business-to-business collaboration.
Priority sectors identified include IT, agriculture, food processing, pharmaceuticals, textiles, tourism, hospitality, and filmmaking .
A business forum was held in Skopje on the same day to advance private-sector ties.
North Macedonia expressed willingness to join India's International Solar Alliance , Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure , and Global Biofuel Alliance .
President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday, 21 July announced that India and North Macedonia have agreed to strengthen trade, investment, and business-to-business collaboration, calling economic cooperation an 'important pillar' of the bilateral relationship. The announcement came during a joint press conference in Skopje alongside North Macedonia President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, following delegation-level talks between the two sides.
A Historic First
Murmu's visit marks the first-ever trip by an Indian President to North Macedonia since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. 'I am confident that this historic visit will mark the beginning of a new chapter in our bilateral relations,' she said at the joint press meet. The two presidents held one-on-one discussions in the morning before expanding to full delegation-level talks covering the entire spectrum of bilateral ties, as well as regional and global issues of shared interest.
Key Areas of Cooperation
The two sides agreed to double bilateral trade and identified several priority sectors for deeper engagement. According to President Murmu, discussions covered IT, agriculture, food processing, pharmaceuticals, textiles, tourism, hospitality, and filmmaking. A business forum was scheduled for the same day in Skopje to provide a platform for private-sector engagement across these sectors.
Multilateral Initiatives on the Table
President Murmu also highlighted India's international sustainability frameworks, including the International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, and the Global Biofuel Alliance. She welcomed North Macedonia's expressed willingness to join all three initiatives, signalling a potential deepening of the partnership beyond bilateral trade into multilateral climate and resilience frameworks.
Cultural and People-to-People Ties
Beyond economics, Murmu underscored the importance of cultural exchange, noting that cooperation in the creative industries sector forms a meaningful part of the bilateral relationship. She expressed gratitude to President Siljanovska-Davkova and the people of North Macedonia for their 'warm welcome and hospitality.' The two nations reaffirmed their 'close friendship based on shared democratic values and mutual respect,' according to Murmu's statement at the press conference.
With a business forum convening the same day and North Macedonia signalling openness to India's multilateral green initiatives, the visit is expected to set the agenda for a more structured bilateral engagement in the months ahead.
Point of View
But the substance will be tested by follow-through. Pledges to 'double bilateral trade' are a diplomatic staple — what matters is the baseline figure and the timeline, neither of which was specified publicly. North Macedonia's willingness to join India's multilateral climate alliances is the more durable signal here: it extends India's soft-power architecture into the Western Balkans at a moment when the region is navigating EU accession pressures. For India, this is less about North Macedonia's market size and more about building a coalition of smaller states that align with New Delhi's multilateral framing on climate and resilience — a strategy that compounds quietly but meaningfully.
NationPress
21 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is President Murmu's visit to North Macedonia historically significant?
It is the first-ever visit by an Indian President to North Macedonia since the two countries established diplomatic relations. President Murmu described it as the beginning of a 'new chapter' in bilateral ties.
What did India and North Macedonia agree to during the Skopje talks?
The two sides agreed to double bilateral trade and deepen cooperation in IT, agriculture, food processing, pharmaceuticals, textiles, tourism, hospitality, and filmmaking. They also reaffirmed shared democratic values and mutual respect as the foundation of the relationship.
Which Indian multilateral initiatives is North Macedonia considering joining?
North Macedonia expressed willingness to join three India-led international initiatives: the International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, and the Global Biofuel Alliance.
What is the business forum mentioned in the announcement?
A business forum was scheduled in Skopje on 21 July, the same day as the presidential talks, to provide a platform for private-sector engagement between Indian and North Macedonian businesses across priority sectors.
What sectors did India and North Macedonia identify for deeper cooperation?
The two countries discussed cooperation across IT, agriculture, food processing, pharmaceuticals, textiles, tourism, hospitality, filmmaking, and the creative industries sector as part of cultural exchange.
