In Prasada’s meeting with Manole, both sides took note of Romania’s annual requirement for 1 lakh workers from outside the European Union (EU) and expressed readiness to create a pathway for about 30,000 skilled Indian professionals annually, aligned with Romania’s sectoral labour market needs.
A press statement by India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry read: “The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to building a strong mobility partnership between India and Romania to promote safe, orderly, regular, and responsible migration of skilled professionals — enhancing labour market connectivity for mutual benefit.”
The meeting focused on efforts to strengthen people-to-people ties through enhanced cooperation in higher education, research, innovation, think tanks, and cultural exchanges. The discussions covered cooperation in recruitment, language and vocational training, standardised employment contracts, and employer obligations, along with fast-track processing for verified employers.Read more: Rules of origin, trade in goods and services being discussed in India’s FTA talks with EU, NZ
Both sides tasked officials to explore mutual recognition of qualifications and discussed the possibility of a totalisation (Social Security) Agreement for certainty of social security.
Later, Prasada held a bilateral meeting with Romania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Oana-Silvia Țoiu, where discussions focused on expanding trade, attracting investment, and strengthening resilient supply chains within the broader India-EU economic framework.
Both sides agreed to work towards the conclusion, within this year, of a fair, balanced, and mutually beneficial India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), in line with the political direction set for the ongoing negotiations.
India’s exports to Romania crossed $1.03 billion in FY 2024-25, while overall bilateral trade reached about $2.98 billion in FY 2023-24. Both sides agreed to deepen supply-chain linkages in priority sectors such as petroleum products, engineering goods, pharmaceuticals, and ceramics, and to facilitate collaboration in standards, testing, and investment partnerships to enhance market access on both sides.
