Romania and India expand partnership
Romania and India sign new agreements in the fields of education and science.
Leyla Cheamil, 24.07.2026, 14:00
On Thursday, Romania and India signed a series of documents in the fields of education and science in the presence of the Romanian head of state, Nicușor Dan, and his counterpart from New Delhi, Droupadi Murmu, who is on a state visit to Bucharest.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the University of Bucharest and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations on the establishment of a Chair of Indian Studies. Also, a cooperation programme in the areas of science and technology was signed between the National Research Authority within the Romanian Ministry of Education and Research and the Department of Science and Technology from the Indian Ministry of Science and Technology, alongside a joint declaration of intent regarding sports.
Romanian president Nicușor Dan emphasised that the two countries have a significant opportunity to strengthen bilateral relations, particularly in the economic sector. He mentioned the European Union-India agreement, saying it opens up significant opportunities for collaboration between the two economies and underscored that boosting investments could also be supported by establishing a direct flight connection between Romania and India.
Indian President Droupadi Murmu announced that the two states would celebrate the Year of Innovation in 2028, on the anniversary of 80 years of bilateral diplomatic relations between the two countries. “We also agreed to work towards doubling our bilateral trade over the next three years. Romania is an important partner for India within the European Union,” she said, while also highlighting the significance of the defence partnership, noting the frequent exchanges between representatives of this industry.
The state visit by the President of the Republic of India to Romania represents a milestone in the bilateral relationship, marking the resumption of high-level political dialogue after two decades. Nicușor Dan said that, although the two countries share nearly eight decades of diplomatic relations and a solid partnership built on trust and mutual respect, this visit offers a significant opportunity to strengthen and expand their cooperation. “We share the conviction that the relationship between Romania and India must evolve into an even more ambitious partnership, with a strategic vision that looks to the future,” the Romanian president said after talks with his Indian counterpart.
The two presidents also tackled subjects on the international agenda, including the war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East, reaffirming their shared commitment to peace, dialogue and respect for international law.
