Chisinau [Moldova], July 20 (ANI): Highlighting her nation’s rapid integration into the European market, Moldovan President Maia Sandu on Monday invited Indian enterprises to utilise Moldova as a strategic commercial gateway to Europe, pointing to a highly favourable convergence between Moldova’s impending EU accession and India’s economic engagements with the bloc.
Speaking at a joint press briefing alongside Indian President Droupadi Murmu, who is on a historic, first-ever State visit to the Eastern European nation, President Sandu outlined a forward-looking roadmap to convert political goodwill into concrete economic outcomes across trade, infrastructure, and pharmaceuticals.
Speaking during the joint press briefing on the landmark visit of President Droupadi Murmu, President Sandu said that the two leaders held discussions on enhancing their bilateral ties in various fields.
“Today we took stock of the entire spectrum of our bilateral relationship, and we discussed some new directions of cooperation. We want this relationship to bring some concrete results for our people in trade, in investments, in energy, in education, and in health,” she said.
On those lines, she announced the joint opening of the Business Forum Moldova-India, aimed at forging direct corporate ties.
“First of all, we would like to extend our trade. We want our products to reach more and more of the Indian market. Today we are going to open up together the Business Forum Moldova-India, which is seeking to create some direct links between the businessmen and the companies of the two countries,” she said.
She emphasised that the timing is uniquely favourable for bilateral trade, with Moldova targeting full European Union accession by the end of the decade and India holding a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the EU.
This time is very favourable since Moldova is now negotiating its accession to the European Union and our objective is to be ready for the accession by the end of this decade. At the same time, India and the European Union signed a free trade agreement, which brings the two markets closer to each other to the benefit of 2 billion people. For the Indian companies which are looking towards Europe, Moldova can become an entrance gate, while for us that would mean investment in new jobs,” the President affirmed.
“India and the European Union signed a free trade agreement, which brings the two markets closer to each other to the benefit of 2 billion people. For the Indian companies which are looking towards Europe, Moldova can become an entrance gate, while for us that would mean investment in new jobs,” she added.
The President further noted that the best example of this economic potential is unfolding in the strategic energy field.
Sandu highlighted the successful construction of the Vulcanesti-Chisinau electrical transmission line, a strategic project for Moldovan energy security now in its final testing stage.
“The best example of this potential is the energy field. An Indian company, which was the winner of an international auction of an international tender, built up the electrical line Vulcanesti-Chisinau, which is a strategic project for our energy security, which is now at the final stage of testing and putting into operation,” she stated.
Beyond heavy infrastructure, Sandu signalled strong interest in human capital and the medical sector, noting, “Around 1400 students from India are studying at our universities, the biggest of them attend the Medical University. We also concluded the negotiations for a new cooperation agreement in the field of higher education, which is to be signed shortly. We also want to explore the experience of India in producing medications which are accessible for the people, but also to attract pharmaceutical investments to the Republic of Moldova.”
Earlier, President Sandu also observed that while the two countries recently accelerated their political dialogue–resuming bilateral consultations in 2024 after a 21-year pause and opening a Moldovan embassy in New Delhi–the engagement comes at a highly critical time for regional stability.
This comes as President Murmu landed in Moldova earlier in the day to commence her three-nation European visit, marking a historic milestone as the inaugural visit by an Indian head of state to the Eastern European nation. (ANI)
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