Context:
Recently, India and Moldova signed an agreement on visa waiver for diplomatic and official passports of either country to travel to the other, without a visa.
More on the News:
- The agreement was signed in New Delhi by the Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), and Moldovan Ambassador to India.
- The MEA affirmed that this agreement will enhance the already warm and friendly relations between India and Moldova, established since their diplomatic ties in 1992.
About the Republic of Moldova:
- Capital City: Chișinău
- Located in Eastern Europe.
- Moldova is a landlocked nation located in the northeastern part of the Balkans.
- Moldova shares its borders with Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south.
- On Moldova’s eastern border with Ukraine, lies the unrecognized breakaway state of Transdniestria, situated across the Dniester River.
About India-Moldova Relations:
- India recognized Moldova on December 28, 1991, and diplomatic relations were established on March 20, 1992.
- India-Moldova relations are friendly and cordial on matters of mutual interest at multilateral fora.
- In April 2023, Moldova has decided to open its Embassy in India.
- At the onset of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, Moldova assisted India in rescuing Indian students.
- The Bilateral trade between India and Moldova stands at $15.89 million (2022-2023).
- India exports pharmaceuticals, plastic-coated fabrics, textiles, ceramic tiles, etc to Moldova, while importing edible oil seeds, fruits, grains, cyclic alcohols, etc.
- In 2023, India gave USD 1 million under the India-UN Development Partnership Fund for the development of the register-based statistical system in Moldova under the supervision of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
- The Indian community in Moldova numbers around 900, out of which about 850 are medical students.