Oslo | India and the Nordic countries on Tuesday decided to elevate their relationship to a Green Technology and Innovation Strategic Partnership, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with his Nordic counterparts, focusing on clean energy, sustainability, innovation, emerging technologies and other key areas.
In a joint press statement following the 3rd India-Nordic Summit in Oslo, Prime Minister Modi said that in this era of global tensions and conflict, India and the Nordic nations will continue to work together to strengthen the rules-based global order.
"Whether it is Ukraine or West Asia, we will continue to support the earliest resolution of conflicts and efforts towards peace," he added.
Other Nordic leaders echoed his call for strengthening the rules-based international order.
"We focused on support for international law, a rules-based order that needs also reforms and progress, and also emphasising the need for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and finding a way diplomatically on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East," Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Store said.
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said the Nordic nations share many objectives with India, including strengthening the rules-based international order.
"Our shared commitment to democracy, the rule of law, and multilateralism makes us natural partners," said Modi, who was joined by Norwegian PM Store, Finnish PM Orpo, Icelandic PM Kristrun Frostadottir, Danish PM Mette Frederiksen, and Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson.
Modi also said that India and the Nordic nations "have a clear and united stand on terrorism: No compromise, no double standards."
"Today, we decided to elevate India-Nordic relations to a Green Technology and Innovation Strategic Partnership. With this green technology partnership, we will ensure a better future for the entire world," Modi said, noting that the format was established eight years ago to energise and accelerate India's relations with the Nordic countries.
This will combine innovation with scale and talent, while advancing our shared commitment towards sustainability, trusted technologies and a better future for humanity, he said.
The summit "reflected the expanding scope and growing strength of India's partnership with the Nordic region. The leaders discussed cooperation in sustainability, innovation, clean energy, emerging technologies and more," the prime minister's office said.
PM Modi said that the two sides have agreed that reform of multilateral institutions is both "necessary and urgent."
He said that today's discussions focused on several aspects, including sustainability, innovation, clean energy, emerging technologies and strengthening cooperation for a peaceful and prosperous future.
"India and the Nordic countries are united by shared democratic values, trust and a common commitment towards human-centric development," he said.
Modi said India and the Nordic nations have made exceptional progress in the last few years. Trade ties have grown stronger, and investment linkages have deepened significantly.
Noting that investment funds from Nordic countries are also becoming important partners in India's rapid growth, he said that over the past decade, investment from Nordic countries to India has increased by nearly 200 per cent.
"Rapidly increasing trade and investment have not only contributed to India's growth story, but have also played a very positive role in the Nordic economies, creating thousands of new jobs," he said.
Modi said the two sides have taken some important initiatives to take the relationship to the next level, highlighting the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement with Norway, Iceland, and other EFTA countries, the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, in which Denmark, Finland, and Sweden are also partners.
"With these ambitious trade agreements, we are ushering in a new golden era in relations between India and the Nordic countries," he said.
Noting that an important pillar of the India-Nordic partnership is extensive research and innovation ties, Modi said the two sides will jointly enhance linkages between universities, labs, and start-up ecosystems to strengthen this.
"We will deepen our cooperation in Arctic and polar research and ensure new opportunities for skill development and talent mobility between India and the Nordic countries," he added.
"Although we all speak different languages, sometimes even a single word is enough to underline our natural partnership. Today, I used the word 'relationship' several times. In many Nordic languages, the word 'relationship' means connection, relations or a bond. 'Relationship' also means the same in Hindi. This is not just a similarity of words. It reflects the closeness of our thoughts," he added.
The two sides also agreed to enhance cooperation in multilateral fora, and Nordic leaders reiterated their support for India's permanent membership for a reformed and expanded UN Security Council.
The leaders decided to hold the next India-Nordic Summit in Helsinki.
The Ministry of External Affairs shared a list of eight outcomes of the summit that included India-Nordic initiatives in climate action, research initiative in identified STEM areas, enhancing cooperation in the blue economy, promoting mobility of talent and building up defence industrial collaboration with Nordic countries.
