India, Norway Forge Digital Alliance on Child Safety & AI at Global Summit

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw met Norway's Digitalisation Minister Karianne Oldernes Tung on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit 2026. Their discussions centered on safeguarding children on the internet and Norway's strong interest in adopting lessons from India's successful digital public infrastructure, known as the India Stack. Minister Tung praised the unprecedented scale and speed of India's digital transformation, covering digital ID, payments, and financial inclusion for 1.4 billion people. The leaders emphasized strengthening bilateral collaboration in emerging technologies and inclusive AI, building on the existing trade agreement between India and EFTA nations.

Key Points: India-Norway Talks: Child Safety Online & Digital Stack Collaboration

  • Protecting children online
  • Norway keen to learn from India Stack
  • Praise for India's digital scaling
  • Strengthening tech & governance collaboration
  • Focus on democratic, inclusive AI
4 min read

Ashwini Vaishnaw holds bilateral meeting with Norway's Digitalisation Minister Karianne Oldernes Tung

Ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw & Karianne Tung discuss protecting children on the internet and Norway's interest in learning from India's digital public infrastructure.

"Even a small country like Norway can learn a lot from India on this. - Karianne Oldernes Tung"

New Delhi, February 20

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday held a bilateral meeting with the Norwegian Digitalisation and Public Governance Minister Karianne Oldernes Tung, on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit 2026.

Both leaders discussed ways to protect children on the internet. The Union Minister further emphasised "Norway's inclination in learning from the India Stack".

In a post on X, Vaishnaw said, "Met Karianne Oldernes Tung, Minister of Digitalisation and Public Governance, Norway. Discussed ways to protect children on the Internet and Norway's inclination in learning from the India Stack."

Earlier, on Thursday, Norway Digitalisation and Public Governance Minister Karianne Oldernes Tung said that the Nordic country can learn from India's success in scaling digitalisation for its 1.4 billion people, while lauding India's digital transformation efforts at the AI Impact Summit in the national capital.

Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the summit, Tung said she was deeply impressed by the scale and speed at which India has implemented digital public infrastructure, including digital identity systems, digital wallets, payments, and financial inclusion initiatives.

"The work that India has done on digitalisation over the last couple of years--digital ID, wallets, payment, bank accounts for everyone--I'm really impressed by the scaling that you have done here in India with 1.4 billion people. Even a small country like Norway can learn a lot from India on this," she said.

Tung noted that her visit to India was aimed at strengthening collaboration between the two nations, particularly in emerging technologies and governance models. She emphasised the importance of continued cooperation in the years ahead.

Congratulating India on hosting the AI Impact Summit, she praised the country's focus on democratic and inclusive artificial intelligence.

"I want to congratulate India on hosting the AI Impact Summit. They've done a great job, and Norway really supports the priority from India on focusing on democratic AI and inclusive AI. Norway is one of the most digitised countries in the world, but we are not satisfied until every country is digitised. That means no country left behind, and that is also a priority of this summit. This has been a good summit so far," she said.

Highlighting Norway's own digital progress, Tung remarked that while Norway is among the most digitised countries globally, the broader goal should be global digital inclusion.

"Norway is one of the most digitised countries in the world, but we are not satisfied until every country is digitised. That means no country left behind, and that is also a priority of this summit. This has been a good summit so far," she added.

Referring to the trade agreement signed two years ago between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries, which include Norway, Tung said the pact provides a strong foundation for deeper cooperation. She pointed out that the agreement covers maritime industries, healthcare, cybersecurity, and digital technologies, with artificial intelligence expected to play a transformative role across these sectors.

"The agreement focuses on maritime industries, healthcare, cybersecurity, and, of course, digital technologies. Artificial intelligence will go through all these areas and be important in the coming years. I think here is a good time for Indian and Norwegian collaborations in the years to come," she said.

The Prime Minister inaugurated the India AI Impact Expo 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Monday.

The Summit, the first global AI gathering to be hosted in the Global South, has witnessed unprecedented participation, with over 20 Heads of State, 60 Ministers, and 500 global AI leaders.

Bringing together policymakers, technology companies, innovators, academia, and industry leaders, the Summit seeks to translate global AI deliberations into actionable development outcomes under the IndiaAI Mission and the Digital India initiative.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Glad they discussed child safety online. That's a critical issue everywhere. Hope our experience with platforms like Aarogya Setu and DigiLocker can help create safer digital spaces for children globally.
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Sarah B
As someone working in tech, this is fascinating. The 'India Stack' - UPI, Aadhaar, etc. - is a masterclass in scaling. Norway's expertise in maritime and cybersecurity combined with our digital infra can create powerful solutions.
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Rohit P
While the praise is nice, we must ensure this collaboration benefits our local tech ecosystem and startups, not just large corporations. The focus on 'inclusive AI' is good, but implementation is key.
K
Karthik V
Hosting a global AI summit with 20+ heads of state is a massive diplomatic and tech win. It shifts the narrative - the Global South is no longer just a consumer, but a leader in defining the future of technology. Well done!
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Nisha Z
The Norway minister's point about "no country left behind" is crucial. Our digital success should be used to bridge the digital divide, especially in rural India and other developing nations. Jai Hind!

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