IRSEA Signs Memorandum of Understanding with Observer Research Foundation (ORF), India

IRSEA Signs Memorandum of Understanding with Observer Research Foundation (ORF), India

On June 3rd 2022, Romanian Institute for Europe-Asia Studies (IRSEA), Romania, represented by H.E. Ambassador (p) Gheorghe Savuica, IRSEA’s President and Founder, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), one of the most renowned think-tanks in India. ORF has been represented by Chairman Sunjoy Joshi. H.E. Ambassador Daniela Sezonov-Ţane, Romanian Ambassador to India, Bangladesh and Nepal, and H.E. Ambassador Rahul Shrivastava, Indian Ambassador to Romania, Moldova and Albania witnessed the ceremony as Special Guests.

Mr. Nandan Unnikrishnan, Distinguished Fellow of ORF, delivered his opening remarks. In a highly positive note, the Indian pundit pointed at the importance of think-tank cooperation between India and Romania, showcasing the need for dialogue, analysis and mutual knowledge of the two highly dynamic countries.

In his key-note remarks, H.E. Ambassador (p) Gheorghe Savuica, thanked the two Distinguished Guests for their constant support rendered to IRSEA, as well as ORF Chairman Sunjoy Joshi, ORF President Samir Saran, and the entire ORF team for their engagement in the project. IRSEA’s President and Founder expressed his sincere hope that the newly signed MoU will “contribute to the consolidation of the vivid tendency of approaching between Europe and Asia and Asia – Europe”. Ambassador (p) Savuica evoked an outstanding project of the Romanian-Indian technological cooperation, i.e. the Guwahati Refinery, the first public sector refinery of India, built in 1962 with Romanian know-how.

Ambassador (p) Savuica extended his invitation to the ORF Chairman Sunjoy Joshi to become Honorary Member of IRSEA.

IRSEA’s Director of Programmes offered a quick review of the institute’s on-going programmes and acknowledgments.

ORF Chairman, Mr. Sunjoy Joshi, expressed his pleasure at the two think-tanks arriving at this cooperation agreement as he felt that “there could be no better partner” for ORF in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe than IRSEA. In a similar key, Chairman Joshi referred to the “double blessing of having IRSEA along with Ambassador Savuica, with his knowledge of South Asia, as a promoter working together for a partnership between Asia and Europe”.

Recalling his tenure in India's Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Chairman Sunjoy Joshi, spoke of the iconic Guwahati Refinery that had been established under Romanian-Indian collaboration. From those beginnings India today had grown into a refining hub supplying the world's needs for petroleum products.

According to the ORF leader today both India and Romania have been advancing rapidly to turn into “world-class technological hubs” that are now home to many start-ups. The technology sector offers both countries phenomenal opportunities today for advancing their cooperation.

Mr. Sunjoy Joshi thanked Ambassador (p) Savuica and accepted his invitation to become Honorary Member of IRSEA.

H.E. Ambassador Daniela Sezonov-Ţane commended the extensive activity of both think-tanks, recalling her wonderful mentorship experience with H.E. Ambassador (p) Gheorghe Savuica in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania, as well as the pleasant interactions with ORF. In a similar note, Ambassador Ţane expressed her satisfaction for the ongoing efforts to improve and increase the cultural and educational people-to-people relations between Romania and India, referring to another recent MoU signed between two Universities from the two countries, which she facilitated as well.

H.E. Ambassador Rahul Shrivastava similarly recollected the meetings on initiating the think-tank cooperation from India and Romania. He emphasized that IRSEA’s President and Founder, G. Savuica, was one of the first Romanian foreign policy experts that the Ambassador met upon assuming position. The Indian Ambassador mentioned the on-going positive trend of the India-Romania bilateral relations, while noting the current pandemic has reduced the amount of bilateral visits between the high-level officials from the two countries. In his message, he showcased that both India and Romania “have changed very fast and that is something we need to tell both Indian and Romanian peoples”.

Both think-tanks showed their good will and determination to contribute to further enhancing the links between Romania and India.

The signing ceremony ended with a vote of thanks on behalf of the MC, Ms. Premesha Saha.