Third India-Nordic Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the third India-Nordic Summit held in Oslo, underlining India’s expanding strategic and economic engagement with Nordic nations in areas such as sustainability, clean energy and emerging technologies.

India and the Nordic countries decided to elevate their relationship to a Green Technology and Innovation Strategic Partnership.

The summit brought together leaders from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden to discuss enhanced cooperation in trade, climate action, innovation and technology. The five Nordic countries together account for a combined economic output of over USD 1.9 trillion and are recognised globally for their leadership in green transition and innovation-driven development.

Addressing a joint press conference after the summit, Prime Minister Modi said India and the Nordic region can combine Nordic expertise in sustainability with India’s scale and capabilities to create trusted global solutions for the future.

The Prime Minister highlighted the steady growth in India-Nordic ties, noting that bilateral trade has increased four-fold over the past decade, while Nordic investments in India have risen by nearly 200 per cent. He said the growing partnership has contributed not only to India’s development but also to employment generation in Nordic countries.

Prime Minister Modi stated that the upgraded partnership would focus on harnessing the strengths of each Nordic nation. He said Iceland has expertise in geothermal energy and fisheries, Norway in the blue economy and Arctic affairs, Sweden in advanced manufacturing and defence, Finland in telecommunications and digital technologies, and Denmark in cybersecurity and health technologies.

He also emphasized that cooperation is being strengthened among universities, laboratories and start-up ecosystems to promote research collaboration, skill development and talent mobility between India and the Nordic region.

Referring to shared cultural linkages, the Prime Minister observed that the word “Sambandh,” meaning relations, is common in both Indian and Nordic languages, expressing confidence that ties between the two sides would become deeper and more meaningful in the coming years.

The first India-Nordic Summit was held in Stockholm, Sweden, on April 17, 2018. It was co-hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven.

Source: AIR