PHD Chamber of Commerce hosted an Interactive Session with the Business Delegation from Romania

Ludhiana, March 3, 2206: The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry hosted an Interactive Session with a Business Delegation from Romania on 3rd March 2026 at PHD House, New Delhi.
The session commenced with opening remarks by Dr. Ranjeet Mehta, CEO & Secretary General, PHDCCI, and Naveen Seth, Deputy Secretary General, PHDCCI, followed by a welcome address by Dr. Vijay Mehta, Chair – International Affairs (Europe & CIS), PHDCCI.
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania, Clara Volintiru, called for a reset — in speed, ambition, and the scale of opportunities before us. She emphasized that Romania is determined to fully realize its potential, moving beyond promise to performance. Referring to India, she noted how the country has transformed ambition into action, building growth at scale and creating a strong architecture for development.
As the two nations celebrate 77 years of diplomatic relations, she underlined the need to translate historical ties into tangible, business-to-business outcomes. Partnerships, she remarked, must scale like startups driven by innovation and bold thinking. Romania’s strategic EU location, strong capital access, and Black Sea connectivity, combined with India’s dynamic innovation ecosystem, present immense opportunities for deeper, innovation-led cooperation.
While highlighting trade relations between Europe and India, Sena Latif, Ambassador of Romania to India, stated that upon learning the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry represents 17 million SMEs—almost equivalent to Romania’s population—she viewed it as one powerful entrepreneurial ecosystem partnering with another nation of entrepreneurs.
She expressed appreciation for the Chamber’s continued support and emphasized that the proposed India–EU Free Trade Agreement would not only boost trade flows but also reflect deeper strategic trust between India and the European Union.
Underscoring Romania’s competitive advantages, she noted that routing goods through the Port of Constanta can save up to six days in logistics time, enhancing cost efficiency and competitiveness. With access to the Danube corridor and Schengen connectivity, Romania stands as a strategic gateway to Europe and beyond. Concluding with a symbolic reference to the Dacia Duster, she affirmed, “Romania is back — in India.”
While welcoming the distinguished gathering of industry representatives, Dr. Vijay Mehta stated:
“Romania, a key member of the European Union and the Schengen area, plays an important role in Europe’s economic landscape. India and Romania share longstanding and cordial ties, with bilateral trade surpassing US$1 billion. Significant opportunities exist in engineering, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, IT, agriculture, and tourism. With strong economic complementarity and the proposed India–EU Free Trade Agreement, there is immense scope to deepen trade, investment, and technology-driven collaboration between our two nations.”
In his vote of thanks Vikas Khanduri, Co-Chair, International Affairs – Europe & CIS, PHDCCI acknowledged the clear direction provided for the MSME sector and the roadmap to mobilize the Chamber’s 150,000 members.
He highlighted key themes discussed during the session, including the proposed India–EU Free Trade Agreement, strengthening business confidence, enhancing B2B engagement, improving direct flight connectivity, and facilitating visas. Emphasizing that trust is the cornerstone of strong economic ties between India and Romania, he reaffirmed the commitment to deeper cooperation in education, innovation, and technology.