'Huge potential, not fully tapped yet': Indian envoy highlights India-Norway cooperation ahead of PM Modi visit
Oslo, May 17
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Norway, India's Ambassador to Norway Gloria Gangte said the two countries share "huge potential" for deeper cooperation in sectors ranging from maritime and green technology to space and healthcare.
Speaking to ANI ahead of the Prime Minister's visit, Ambassador Gangte said the India-Nordic Summit comes at a crucial time amid global uncertainty and offers an important platform for political dialogue and strategic cooperation.
She said the current areas of collaboration between India and Norway include maritime industries, shipbuilding, blue economy and clean energy technologies.
"The potential is so huge that we have not really tapped all of it. In Norway's strengths, carbon capture, utilisation, and storage is another area which has great potential for collaboration. With India's ambition of Amrit Kaal 2047, it can play a very important role and a complementary role in that," Gangte told ANI.
Prime Minister Modi will visit Norway from May 18 to 19 during the fourth leg of his foreign tour. The visit marks the first trip by an Indian Prime Minister to the Nordic nation in 43 years and is expected to provide fresh momentum to bilateral ties.
Asked whether any major announcements are expected during the visit, Gangte said several agreements are likely to be signed across sectors including space, health and maritime cooperation.
"We are expecting agreements, G2G agreements as well as government-to-business and business-to-business agreements that cover a wide range of sectors, particularly in space, health, as well as maritime sector, and a great number of them on research and collaboration in technology and innovation and clean and green technology," she said.
During the visit, PM Modi is scheduled to meet Their Majesties King Harald V and Queen Sonja and hold bilateral talks with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
He will also jointly address the India-Norway Business and Research Summit alongside the Norwegian Prime Minister.
The visit coincides with the 3rd India-Nordic Summit in Oslo on May 19, where PM Modi will meet leaders from Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Sweden amid growing geopolitical uncertainty and increasing global focus on sustainable development.
The visit is expected to provide momentum to bilateral trade worth nearly USD 2.73 billion in 2024, while also boosting investments by Norway's Government Pension Fund Global (GPFG), which has invested close to USD 28 billion in the Indian capital market.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Carbon capture is such an important area—if Norway can help us with that technology, it would be a game-changer for our industrial cities. Also, the $28 billion investment from Norway's pension fund shows their confidence in our economy. But we need to ensure these partnerships also create jobs for our youth in research and maritime sectors.
Good to see India expanding its diplomatic reach. The Nordic countries are leaders in sustainability and innovation. I just hope the agreements signed aren't just on paper—we need real implementation, especially in space collaboration and healthcare. The potential is indeed huge, as the ambassador said.
One thing I appreciate is that this visit isn't just about trade—it's about strategic cooperation at a time of global uncertainty. The India-Nordic Summit is a smart move. But I hope our government also focuses on deeper people-to-people ties, like more student exchanges and tourism. Norway has amazing fjords, and Indians love travelling! 😄
The maritime and shipbuilding cooperation is promising—India has a long coastline and Norway is a maritime leader. But I'm a bit sceptical about how much of this 'huge potential' will actually be tapped. We often sign agreements but lack follow-through. Let's hope this time is different and we see real progress in clean energy and blue economy.
It's fantastic to see India and Norway strengthening ties—especially in green technology and space. As someone who follows climate issues, carbon capture collaboration could really help India meet its 2070 net-zero target. The fact that Norway's pension fund has invested so much in India shows mutual
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.