President of India Droupadi Murmu delivered the inaugural address at the first India-North Macedonia Business Forum in Skopje on July 21, 2026, with North Macedonian President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, government members, and business leaders from both countries in attendance. The President characterized the India-North Macedonia economic and commercial relationship as "a frontier waiting to be fully conquered," noting that while bilateral trade volume shows a steady positive trajectory, it currently represents only a fraction of its potential.
To transition from basic trade to a comprehensive economic partnership, the President emphasized the need to focus on mutual investments across multiple sectors including digital innovation and artificial intelligence, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, agro-processing, and green energy transition. She specifically invited North Macedonia to participate in the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) to be held in India next year.
The address called for businesses from both sides to take the lead in identifying viable projects and building long-term commercial relationships, urging Chambers of Commerce, investment agencies, and business associations to establish formal linkages and facilitate exchanges of business delegations. The President emphasized moving beyond immediate transactions toward partnerships based on technology transfer, joint ventures, local value creation, and employment generation. The forum aimed to generate new ideas and open new avenues of cooperation between the two nations.