President of the Republic of India Droupadi Murmu continues her state visit to Romania on Friday.

In the morning, the Indian official will be received at Victoria Palace by acting Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan.

Afterwards, President Droupadi Murmu and President Nicusor Dan will attend the Romania-India Business Forum together.

Later on Friday, Droupadi Murmu will also meet the President of the Senate, Mircea Abrudean, and the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Sorin Grindeanu. The meeting will take place at the Palace of Parliament.

The state visit by the President of the Republic of India marks a milestone in bilateral relations, signalling the resumption of political dialogue at the highest level after a two-decade hiatus.

The most recent visit by a Romanian head of state to India took place in 2006, while the last visit by an Indian president to Romania took place in 1994.

'This visit has historic significance, marking the resumption of dialogue at the highest level and opening a new chapter in the relationship between our countries. Although Romania and India have nearly 80 years of diplomatic relations and a solid partnership based on mutual trust and respect, this visit represents an important opportunity to strengthen and expand our cooperation. We share the conviction that relations between Romania and India should evolve into an even more ambitious partnership, guided by a forward-looking strategic vision,' President Nicusor Dan wrote on his Facebook page on Thursday evening following his official talks with his Indian counterpart.

The Romanian head of state said they had held 'excellent discussions on deepening economic cooperation, making the most of the opportunities created by the European Union-India free trade agreement, and encouraging reciprocal investment.'

According to the President, they also discussed the possibility of establishing a direct air link between Romania and India, which would facilitate economic exchanges and people-to-people contacts between the two countries.

'We also addressed the main developments on the international agenda, including the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East. We reaffirmed our support for resolving conflicts through diplomacy and once again expressed our condolences for the four Indian seafarers who lost their lives in the attack near Odesa. Our message is clear: Romania and India look to the future with confidence as partners sharing common values and converging interests. Together, we can build greater prosperity, more innovation and stronger security, for the benefit of our citizens and to strengthen ties between Europe and Asia,' President Nicusor Dan also wrote on his social media page. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Andreea Rotaru; EN - writing by: Cristina Zaharia)