International

IIE DIGITAL: President Droupadi Murmu has reached North Macedonia on a landmark two-day state visit, becoming the first Indian President to set foot in the southeastern European country. The visit forms the second leg of her three-nation European tour, reflecting India’s growing focus on strengthening diplomatic and economic partnerships across the region.

During her stay, President Murmu is expected to hold talks with North Macedonian President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova and meet Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and Assembly Speaker Afrim Gashi. She will also address the country’s Parliament and participate in the India-North Macedonia Business Forum.

The visit comes amid efforts by both nations to expand cooperation across key sectors, including agriculture, pharmaceuticals, science and technology, information technology and IT-enabled services.

President Murmu will also visit the Memorial of Mother Teresa in Skopje, the city where the Nobel Peace Prize laureate was born in 1910. The memorial stands as a tribute to her early years before she left for Ireland in 1928 and later dedicated her life to humanitarian work in India. Mother Teresa was conferred the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, in 1980.

The final stop on President Murmu’s European tour will be Romania, where she is scheduled to visit from July 23 to 25 at the invitation of President Nicusor Dan. Her visit will be the first by an Indian President to Romania in over three decades, with trade, technology and tourism expected to feature prominently in the discussions.