India and North Macedonia on Tuesday discussed cooperation in areas ranging from digital technology and healthcare to agriculture and artificial intelligence, as well as reforms of the United Nations, direct connectivity, trade and tourism, a top Indian diplomat said. The talks took place during President Droupadi Murmu’s visit to North Macedonia, the first bilateral visit by an Indian President to the southeast European country.

Briefing reporters in Skopje, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs Sibi George said all aspects of bilateral relations were discussed and both sides underlined the need to identify new areas of cooperation to further strengthen ties. He said the visit reaffirmed India’s commitment to deepening its partnership with North Macedonia and reflected its broader engagement with Europe.

Earlier in the day, Murmu held bilateral talks with North Macedonian President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova at the Presidential Palace, Villa Vodno. George said the two leaders identified digital technology, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, automotive, agriculture and agro-products, and new technologies, including AI, as priority areas for cooperation.

The two sides also discussed reforms of the United Nations. “North Macedonia and India work together in the multilateral fora, cooperate with each other, and also it supports India’s permanent membership in a reformed UN Security Council,” George said.

George said there was also a request for direct connectivity between India and North Macedonia. “It is on our wish list. We will see how we can take it forward,” he said. He added that the two countries had renewed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the health sector for another five years to strengthen collaboration through joint initiatives and technology development, including healthcare facilities.

North Macedonia has supported India in the fight against terrorism and strongly condemned the 2025 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, George said. Murmu also met Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, who hosted a working lunch in her honour.

“The state visit of the President reaffirms our shared commitment to building a forward-looking and mutually beneficial partnership that contributes to the prosperity of our two countries,” George said. Murmu is on a two-day visit to North Macedonia from Tuesday as part of the second leg of her three-nation tour of Europe, after concluding her visit to Moldova on Monday and ahead of her visit to Romania on Thursday.

With PTI Inputs

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India Today Web Desk

Published On:

Jul 22, 2026 00:08 IST