"Green Technology Partnership will connect Nordic expertise to India's skills": PM Modi
Oslo, May 19
Unveiling a comprehensive blueprint for sustainable development and technological integration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced that a Green Technology and Innovation Strategic Partnership has now been institutionalised as a core pillar of India-Nordic relations.
Delivering a joint statement after the high-powered 3rd India-Nordic Summit in the Norwegian capital, PM Modi highlighted the collaborative synergy that aims to merge the specialised domain expertise of the Northern European nations with India's vast manpower and skills.
The Prime Minister emphasised how this green framework would leverage distinct regional strengths, effectively bridging ecological stewardship with industrial and economic advancement.
Elaborating on the specific components of the alliance, PM Modi said, "With this Green Technology Partnership, we will connect Iceland's expertise in geothermal and fisheries, Norway's expertise in blue economy and Arctic, and all Nordic countries' expertise in maritime and sustainability to India's skills to ensure a better future for the entire world."
Beyond environmental sustainability, this multilateral partnership expands heavily into the realms of next-generation industrial manufacturing, robust connectivity frameworks, and advanced digital security systems.
Mapping out the strategic matrix connecting individual Nordic nations to the domestic ecosystem, PM Modi added that with this partnership, Sweden's advanced manufacturing and defence, Finland's telecom and digital technology, and Denmark's cyber security and health tech would be connected to "India's talent to develop trusted solutions for the entire world."
Setting the backdrop for these landmark announcements, PM Modi had reached the Norwegian capital on Monday after successfully completing his bilateral engagements in Sweden.
The Prime Minister's presence at the high-profile dialogue marks a historic milestone in regional diplomacy, representing the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Scandinavian nation in 43 years.
The summit brought together PM Modi and his counterparts from the five Nordic nations, including Iceland's Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir, Norway's Jonas Gahr Store, Sweden's Ulf Kristersson, Finland's Petteri Orpo, and Denmark's Mette Frederiksen.
This intense diplomatic push serves as a crucial follow-up to the previous iterations of the forum, building on a robust foundation that began with the inaugural summit in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2018, followed by the second edition in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2022.
Highlighting the deep economic significance of the trip, the Ministry of External Affairs noted that PM Modi's visit will provide a massive impetus to India's bilateral trade and investment ties with the Nordic countries.
Furthermore, the strategic engagement is slated to help build highly resilient supply chains following the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the landmark India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) signed with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
To convert these overarching agreements into actionable growth, the summit featured extensive, multi-sector negotiations among the participating leaders.
These high-level discussions ultimately highlighted a deeply shared commitment to building sustainable economic security across both regions.
The Indian leader initially arrived in Norway from Sweden as part of an extensive, fast-paced tour covering the UAE, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Italy from May 15-20.
Following the successful conclusion of these high-level engagements in the Norwegian capital, PM Modi will head to Italy for the final leg of his five-nation visit.
— ANI
Reader Comments
While this sounds promising on paper, I hope the benefits actually trickle down to small businesses and rural entrepreneurs. Often these high-level partnerships focus only on big corporates. Need to see concrete skilling programs for local youth in green tech.
Amazing to see India reconnecting with Nordic countries after 43 years! Sweden's manufacturing, Finland's digital tech, Denmark's cyber security - this is exactly what Make in India and Digital India need. Jai Hind! 🚀
The timing is perfect - with India-EU FTA and EFTA TEPA already signed, this partnership will create resilient supply chains. Our engineering talent combined with Nordic precision can solve global climate challenges. But implementation is key, let's see the roadmap!
As someone working in renewable energy sector, this is exciting news. Iceland's geothermal experience and Finland's telecom expertise can revolutionize our rural electrification. Just hope the technology transfer is affordable and not just another import dependency. 🤔
Great diplomatic achievement! First PM visit to Norway in 43 years, and we're talking about green tech, blue economy, and Arctic cooperation. Our foreign policy under Modi ji is truly global. Now we need to ensure this translates into jobs for Indian engineers and scientists. 🇮🇳💪
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