New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate by the Bucharest University of Economic Studies during her visit to Bucharest, Romania. The honour was conferred in recognition of her contributions to public service and international cooperation.
According to a post shared by the President’s on X, Murmu accepted the honour as a reflection of the enduring friendship between the peoples of India and Romania. She urged the Bucharest University and other Romanian educational institutions to deepen cooperation with Indian institutions through joint research and faculty and student exchange programmes.
Addressing the ceremony, president Murmu said education is the strongest foundation of a just and inclusive society. She noted that India’s national education policy promotes innovation, research, creativity and international academic collaboration, and stressed that universities have an important responsibility to ensure knowledge is guided by wisdom, ethics and compassion in an era of rapid technological change.
The president also highlighted the long-standing cultural ties between the two countries. She recalled Rabindranath Tagore’s visit to Bucharest in 1926 and said Romania’s national poet, Mihai Eminescu, had studied the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita, which influenced his writings.
Earlier, president addressed the India-Romania Business Forum in the presence of Romanian president, Nicușor Dan, government representatives and business leaders from both countries. She described Romania as a strategic partner and a gateway to the European market, while noting that the participation of a large Indian business delegation reflected growing confidence in opportunities for bilateral cooperation.
The president highlighted trade and economic cooperation as a key pillar of the India-Romania partnership and underlined the importance of the proposed India-European Union Free Trade Agreement. She said the agreement would strengthen investment, improve supply chains and create opportunities for MSMEs, startups and innovators.
President Murmu also identified energy, green transition, chemicals, fertilizers, digital public infrastructure, information technology, cybersecurity, transport, logistics, healthcare, agriculture and food processing as key sectors for future collaboration. She urged businesses from both countries to build long-term partnerships that promote innovation, employment and sustainable growth.
Romania was the final stop of president Murmu’s three-nation visit to Eastern Europe, undertaken at the invitation of Romanian president Nicușor Dan.