The Foreign Minister of North Macedonia, Bujar Osmani, hailed his inaugural visit to India as a “new chapter in political and economic cooperation” between the two nations and even suggested a trilateral format with Greece.
Osmani expressed a ‘keen’ desire for increased Indian economic engagement in the region, highlighting the mutually beneficial complementarity of their economies, reported Republic World.
His statements were made during an interaction with the media following the conclusion of the 44th Sapru House Lecture, where he discussed the policy of Skopje and its presidency of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
Speaking about the significance of his visit, Osmani stated, “My first visit to India marks a new chapter in political and economic cooperation.” He also congratulated India for successfully landing its Chandrayaan-3 moon mission, calling it a “technological masterpiece.”
When questioned about India’s strategic partnership with Skopje, Osmani intriguingly asked, “If India and Greece have already established a strategic partnership and we and Greece have signed an agreement of strategic partnership a few years ago, does that mathematically mean that we and India are strategic partners as well?”
He discussed this potential with his Greek counterpart and officials in New Delhi.
Osmani emphasised the importance of India as an integral partner, with bilateral relations further solidified by the opening of an embassy in New Delhi. Stressing the depth of the alliance, he detailed aspirations for the future and the creation of mechanisms and platforms to facilitate greater economic cooperation.
“There is a huge untapped potential of economic relations between India and North Macedonia,” he affirmed.
During his visit, Osmani engaged with Indian officials, including External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.
In his meeting with the Vice President, they discussed the bilateral relations between the two countries, emphasising how to enhance ties further. Osmani’s three-day official visit also included plans to visit Kolkata and pay tribute to Skopje-born Saint Teresa’s life and mission at the Memorial House.
The North Macedonian Minister’s visit might lead to fostering opportunities for joint projects and initiatives in various sectors, as Osmani implied.
“We discussed today with the minister of foreign affairs how we can create those mechanisms and platforms to bring businesses together, to bring people together, and to unleash that economic potential between our two nations,” he said.
