Skopje [North Macedonia], July 22 (ANI): President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday called for expanding India-North Macedonia cooperation in pharmaceuticals, agriculture, renewable energy and emerging technologies, saying stronger business partnerships could unlock new opportunities for both countries.

Addressing the India-North Macedonia Business Forum in Skopje, Murmu said India's pharmaceutical industry was well positioned to invest in North Macedonia through joint manufacturing facilities.

'India is known globally as the pharmacy of the world. Our pharmaceutical sector is poised to invest in North Macedonia by establishing joint manufacturing facilities here. We can secure the supply of affordable, advanced life-saving medicines and medical devices for the entire Balkan and European markets,' she said.

Highlighting opportunities in agriculture, the President said North Macedonia's fertile land and strategic location made it an attractive destination for Indian agro-companies.

'Our businesses can explore collaborations in modern food processing and cold chain logistics and build a resilient food supply chain that connects into the broader European Union markets,' she said.

Murmu also invited North Macedonia to deepen cooperation with India in clean energy and climate resilience through global initiatives led by New Delhi.

She said India saw 'immense scope' for joint investments in solar power, wind infrastructure and green hydrogen technologies, and invited North Macedonia to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA), the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), and the Global Biofuels Alliance to strengthen cooperation in renewable energy, disaster resilience and sustainable biofuels.

The President also invited North Macedonia to participate in the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES), in India next year, describing it as a platform to promote international collaboration in the creative industries, media and entertainment sectors.

In her remarks she called for greater cooperation among startups, universities, research institutions and technology enterprises, particularly in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and digital innovation.

Emphasising the role of the private sector, Murmu urged businesses from both countries to identify viable projects and build long-term commercial partnerships.

'I encourage chambers of commerce, investment agencies and business associations of both countries to establish linkages and facilitate exchanges of business delegations. I also urge companies to look beyond immediate transactions and invest in partnerships based on technology transfer, joint ventures, local value creation and employment generation,' she said.

In her remarks, she expressed optimism for the economies ties between the two countries to flourish on values such as trust and shared prosperity.

'Let us work together to build an India-North Macedonia economic partnership founded on trust, innovation and shared prosperity,' she said. (ANI)