ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF PRESS STATEMENT BY THE HON’BLE PRESIDENT DURING STATE VISIT TO MOLDOVA

First of all, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to President Maia Sandu for the warm welcome and gracious hospitality extended to me and my delegation during the visit.

I am delighted to undertake this State Visit to the Republic of Moldova at the invitation of President Maia Sandu. This is the first-ever State Visit by an Indian President to the Republic of Moldova. It marks a historic milestone in our bilateral relations and reflects the growing friendship and mutual trust between our two countries.

India and Moldova have enjoyed warm and friendly relations for more than three decades. Although geographically distant, our partnership has steadily grown, guided by our shared commitment to peace, development and international cooperation.

Friends,

Today, President Sandu and I held productive and forward-looking discussions covering the entire spectrum of our bilateral partnership. We reviewed the progress achieved in recent years and agreed to further deepen our cooperation across a wide range of sectors that are important for the growth, prosperity and well-being of our peoples.

Economic cooperation remains an important pillar of our partnership. We agreed to promote greater trade and investment, strengthen resilient supply chains, improve connectivity and encourage closer engagement between our business communities. The India-Moldova Business Forum being held on the margins of this visit will go a long way in energizing our trade and investment ties.

We agreed to strengthen cooperation in various areas of mutual interest including agriculture, logistics and infrastructure, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, Digital Public Infrastructure, Artificial Intelligence, and innovation.

Education and capacity building have always been among the strongest pillars of our relationship. We discussed ways to expand educational exchanges and institutional partnerships. India is pleased to double the number of ITEC training slots for Moldovan professionals, including specialised courses in Artificial Intelligence and other emerging technologies. Moldovan diplomats are also invited to take part in special courses on AI and Cyber diplomacy at our Foreign Service Institute. India and Moldova have ongoing collaboration under the International Solar Alliance. I would invite Moldova to also join the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) as well as the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA).

President Sandu and I also exchanged views on regional and global developments. We reaffirmed our shared commitment to peace, dialogue and respect for international law. We agreed to continue working together to address common global challenges and contribute to a peaceful, stable and prosperous world. India has consistently supported early resolution of all conflicts, disputes and tensions through dialogue and diplomacy. We have always stood by the side of peace.

I am looking forward later today to my other engagements during my short stay in your beautiful capital city, including meeting the dynamic Indian community and friends of India here.

Your Excellency,

I once again thank President Maia Sandu, the Government and the people of Moldova for their warm hospitality. I also look forward to welcoming President Sandu to India at a mutually convenient time. I am confident that we will continue to build a stronger, future-oriented and mutually beneficial partnership between India and the Republic of Moldova.

Thank you.