This article covers the cultural links between India and North Macedonia, the Roma community that traces its origins to India, training and scholarship programmes, and the small Indian community in North Macedonia. It is based on the MEA brief of June 2026, and community figures are given as that brief reports them. Development and training material is included here because the brief has too little of it for a separate article.
Mother Teresa
According to the MEA brief of June 2026, Mother Teresa, who was ethnic Albanian, was born in Skopje, Macedonia, and lived in Macedonia till 18 years of age. The brief states that she enjoys high regard among the people of North Macedonia and that her name is frequently mentioned by the North Macedonian side in bilateral meetings.
Her memory features in the official visits to Kolkata that the brief records. During his visit in January 2009, Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki visited Kolkata and the memorial home of Mother Teresa, where a commemorative plaque was placed as a sign of gratitude on behalf of the Macedonian citizens. Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani visited Mother Teresa House and paid tribute at the Mother Teresa Memorial in Kolkata during his visit in 2023.
Yoga and Indian culture
The brief states that Macedonians evince keen interest in Indian culture and that Yoga is popular in North Macedonia. The International Yoga Day is regularly celebrated there in association with the Art of Living, North Macedonia, ISKON and other Yoga centres and partners.
India's Ministry of Culture handed over a draft agreement on cultural cooperation to the Macedonian delegation during the Deputy Foreign Minister's visit in February 2004, and as of June 2026 such an agreement is still under negotiation. North Macedonia supported India's candidature to the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) for the period 2020-2024, for which elections were held at UNESCO, Paris.
Tourism and film
The brief identifies tourism as an area which holds prospects for both countries, and suggests that North Macedonia's landscapes could make it an attractive destination for the Indian film industry. Some Indian films have been shot at locations in Macedonia, including the Tamil film "Mersal".
The Roma community
North Macedonia has a population of around 60 thousand Roma people, many of whom trace their origins to India. The Roma have been recognised as a founding ethnic minority in the Constitution of North Macedonia and have the right to study in their own language.
According to the brief, Dr. Shaban Saliu, from the Roma community, is a Minister in the present cabinet, dealing with the implementation of the National Roma Strategy. Cooperation among the youth of India and North Macedonia was discussed during his participation in the Youth Ministers' Session of the third Voice of Global South Summit.
Training and scholarships
The Government of India offers scholarships under the ITEC programme to North Macedonia, with 2 slots for Macedonian candidates. During the State Visit of the President of India in July 2026, India announced a decision to double the number of ITEC training slots for North Macedonia. Macedonian diplomats take part from time to time in the Professional Course for Foreign Diplomats (PCFD) organised by the Foreign Service Institute.
In 2023-24, a young diplomat from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia attended the PCFD, and two Parliament employees attended the Lok Sabha training under the ITEC programme.
The Indian community in North Macedonia
The brief describes the Indian community in North Macedonia as very small. There are around 52 persons, including 9 OCI holders and 43 Indian nationals, according to the last official data shared by North Macedonia in 2023.
Most of them are engaged in the IT sector, teach at universities or work as executives in multinational companies. The brief states that there are very few Indian students in North Macedonia.