President Droupadi Murmu paid a state visit to Romania from July 23 to 25, 2026, becoming the first Indian Head of State to visit Bucharest in over three decades. During the visit, she was conferred the Doctor Honoris Causa, the highest academic distinction of the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (BUES). India and Romania signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) for cooperation in science and technology, education, and sports, and jointly declared 2028 as the India-Romania Year of Innovation to mark 80 years of diplomatic relations.
A Historic Visit After Three Decades
President Murmu’s visit to Romania, a country in Southeast Europe with Bucharest as its capital, marked a major milestone in a bilateral relationship that goes back nearly eight decades. India and Romania established diplomatic relations on December 14, 1948, and upgraded them to embassy level in 1957. Romania is a member of both the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) (joined in 2004) and the European Union (EU) (joined in 2007), making it a key partner for India in Central and Eastern Europe.
The visit was the culmination of a week-long European tour by President Murmu, who also made historic first-ever visits to Moldova and North Macedonia. She was received at the Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest by Romanian President Nicusor Dan with a ceremonial guard of honour. A high-level Indian delegation accompanied the President, including Minister of State Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya and Members of Parliament Dinesh Sharma and Vijay Baghel.
During delegation-level talks, both sides reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation and set an ambitious target to double bilateral trade within three years. The bilateral trade between India and Romania stood at approximately $1.3 billion in 2025. The leaders also discussed expanding cooperation in pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, green hydrogen, agriculture, digital public infrastructure, and artificial intelligence.
Defence cooperation was identified as an essential new pillar of the partnership, with both sides agreeing to strengthen ties through regular exchanges, joint training, capacity building, and closer collaboration between defence industries.
The Doctor Honoris Causa Honour
On July 24, 2026, the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (BUES) conferred its highest academic honour, the Doctor Honoris Causa, on President Murmu. The title is a Latin phrase meaning “for the sake of honour” and refers to an honorary doctorate awarded by a university to individuals who have made exceptional contributions to public service, academia, or international cooperation, without requiring the recipient to complete formal coursework or examinations.
BUES, founded in 1913 as the Academy of Higher-level Commercial and Industrial Studies, is the largest economic higher education institution in Romania and one of the largest in Central and Eastern Europe. The decision to confer the honour followed a proposal by the university’s Council for Administration and unanimous approval by its Senate.
In her acceptance speech, President Murmu dedicated the award to the 1.4 billion people of India and reflected on how education transformed her own life. She noted that she was the first girl from her village to attend college, and that this recognition reflected the enduring friendship between India and Romania. She highlighted the deep civilisational links between the two countries, recalling that Rabindranath Tagore had visited Bucharest in November 1926, nearly a century ago, and addressed a packed hall at the National Theatre of Bucharest. She also noted that the Romanian national poet, Mihai Eminescu, studied the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita during his student years.
Three MoUs Signed: Science, Education and Sports
Three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed during the bilateral talks, covering the following areas:
| Sector | Key Provisions |
|---|---|
| Science and Technology | Renewal of the joint Programme of Cooperation for collaborative research and development projects and joint laboratory initiatives |
| Education and Culture | Establishment of a dedicated Chair of Indian Studies at the University of Bucharest, supported by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) |
| Sports | A framework for joint athlete training programmes, coaching exchanges, and sports science collaboration |
In addition to the MoUs, India announced a doubling of training slots for Romanian professionals under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme. The enhanced ITEC offerings will include dedicated modules on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and frontier technologies, as well as special training on AI and Cyber Diplomacy for Romanian diplomats through India’s Foreign Service Institute. Romania has already utilised over 114 ITEC slots till date.
Both sides also discussed the potential for direct air connectivity between India and Romania to boost tourism, business travel, and people-to-people contacts. The Indian community in Romania numbers around 9,000 people, including a growing workforce in the construction and other sectors.
Beyond Romania: A Three-Nation European Tour
President Murmu’s Romania visit was the final and most significant leg of a broader diplomatic outreach to Eastern Europe from July 19 to 25, 2026. She made first-ever presidential visits to Moldova (July 20) and North Macedonia (July 21-22), marking India’s growing engagement with the region.
In Moldova, President Murmu held talks with President Maia Sandu and Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu. Both sides agreed to elevate bilateral engagement into a broad strategic partnership across agriculture, pharmaceuticals, digital services, and education. India pledged to double its technical training slots for Moldovan professionals under the ITEC scheme.
In North Macedonia, President Murmu addressed the country’s Assembly and led a bilateral business forum. A five-year agreement in healthcare and medicine was renewed, and exploratory talks on direct air connectivity were held. She also visited the Mother Teresa Memorial House in Skopje, honouring the shared humanitarian legacy.
Romania welcomed India’s initiatives on global platforms, including the International Solar Alliance (ISA), which Romania signed in 2023. President Murmu also welcomed Romania’s intention to join the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and the Global Biofuels Alliance, two India-led international initiatives.
Key Takeaways
- President Droupadi Murmu made a historic state visit to Romania from July 23 to 25, 2026, the first by an Indian President in over three decades.
- She was conferred the Doctor Honoris Causa, the highest academic honour of the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (BUES), which was founded in 1913.
- India and Romania signed three MoUs in science and technology, education (establishing a Chair of Indian Studies at the University of Bucharest), and sports.
- Both nations declared 2028 as the India-Romania Year of Innovation to mark 80 years of diplomatic relations, which were first established on December 14, 1948.
- A target was set to double bilateral trade (then at $1.3 billion) within three years. Defence cooperation was identified as a new pillar of the partnership.
- India doubled ITEC training slots for Romania, including dedicated modules on AI and Cyber Diplomacy.
