Bucharest, November 11, 2025 – The Europe Today: President Nicușor Dan has affirmed that Romania possesses all the necessary conditions to emerge as a leading innovation and production hub in the defense industry of Southeast Europe.
Speaking on Monday, November 10, at the Conference on Industrial Cooperation in the Defense Sector between Germany and Romania, the president highlighted the country’s longstanding industrial tradition, skilled workforce, and growing foreign investment as key factors driving this transformation.
“Romania meets all the conditions to become an innovation and production hub in the defense industry in Southeast Europe. Why? First of all, because it has a tradition — there are people with experience — even if some of our companies, which come from an era when Romania produced and exported a lot, are not in the happiest situation,” President Dan said.
He emphasized that Romania does not need to rebuild its defense sector from the ground up.
“A combination of know-how and a new managerial approach can very quickly revitalize the opportunities of the Romanian defense industry — and we also have the financial resources,” the president added.
The conference, organized by the Romanian-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AHK Romania) under the patronage of the President of Romania, focused on strengthening industrial cooperation and fostering technological partnerships between the two countries.
President Dan underscored that German companies have invested around EUR 17 billion in Romania, creating approximately 235,000 jobs nationwide. He noted that the arrival of Rheinmetall, the German defense giant, represents a major milestone in bilateral cooperation. The company recently signed a EUR 500 million agreement with Romania to construct a powder factory, a move expected to boost local supply chains and facilitate significant technology and know-how transfers.
The president further observed that Romania’s automotive industry provides a strong foundation for defense manufacturing.
“The Romanian industry has developed the automotive sector, and many of the challenges the defense industry faces today have similar solutions to those already developed by the automotive industry,” he said.
President Dan also pointed to the European Union’s SAFE program as an important source of funding and innovation for defense cooperation, underscoring Romania’s readiness to integrate its industrial strengths with EU and NATO defense objectives.
The event reaffirmed Romania’s commitment to deepening strategic industrial partnerships with Germany and other European allies, while advancing its role as a reliable defense and technology hub in the region.
