PM Modi to attend 3rd India-Nordic Summit in Norway today
Oslo, May 19
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the 3rd India-Nordic Summit in Oslo on Tuesday, aimed at strengthening India's strategic partnership with Nordic nations in areas such as technology, renewable energy, defence, sustainability, and trade.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), "The 3rd India-Nordic Summit will take place in Oslo on 19 May 2026. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be joined by the Prime Minister of Norway, Jonas Gahr Støre; Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen; Prime Minister of Finland, Petteri Orpo; Prime Minister of Iceland, Ms. Kristrun Frostadottir; and Prime Minister of Sweden, Ulf Kristersson for the Summit."
The MEA further stated, "The Summit will build upon the two previous Summits held in Stockholm in April 2018 and in Copenhagen in May 2022, and will impart a more strategic dimension to India's relationship with the Nordic countries, especially in technology and innovation; green transition and renewable energy; sustainability; blue economy; defence; space and the Arctic."
Ahead of the summit, Prime Minister Modi on Monday attended the India-Norway Business and Research Summit in Oslo, highlighting the growing momentum in bilateral economic cooperation after the implementation of the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement.
The event brought together CEOs of over 50 companies and more than 250 participants from Indian and Norwegian business and research communities. Several business agreements between Indian and Norwegian entities were also signed during the summit.
Prime Minister Modi arrived in Norway on Monday as part of the fourth leg of his five-nation visit. In a special gesture, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre personally received him at the airport. Norway's Ambassador to India, May-Elin Stener, India's Ambassador to Norway, Gloria Gangte, and senior officials were also present to welcome him.
During his visit, PM Modi also met King Harald V at the Royal Palace in Oslo. The two leaders discussed the growing cooperation between Indian and Norwegian companies across sectors, particularly in emerging technologies.
"He appreciated the natural beauty of Norway and underlined that the long-standing friendship between India and Norway continues to grow stronger, anchored in shared values of democracy, the rule of law, and people-centric governance," the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) stated.
King Harald later hosted a luncheon in honour of PM Modi. The Prime Minister thanked the King for the warm hospitality extended to him during the visit.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi was conferred with Norway's highest civilian honour for foreign Heads of Government, the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit.
"Honoured to receive the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit. This honour is dedicated to the people of India and is a tribute to the enduring friendship between India and Norway. It reflects our shared commitment to global progress," PM Modi said after receiving the award.
The Prime Minister also expressed gratitude to King Harald and the people of Norway for the honour. According to the PMO, the award is bestowed in recognition of outstanding service in the interest of Norway and humanity.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally, our PM is putting India on the global map! Norway's hospitality and giving him the Grand Cross is a big deal. But let's not forget domestic challenges—why can't we have such efficient governance and clean energy policies at home first? 😕
As someone who works in international trade, this summit is promising. The India-EFTA agreement could open doors for Indian pharma and IT services. But the real test is implementation—hopefully, we see faster visa processing and fewer bureaucratic hurdles.
Nordic countries are leaders in green tech and sustainability. If Modi ji can bring some of that know-how to India, we could solve many of our pollution and energy issues. But yaar, politics aside, why is there no mention of climate action in the article itself? Bit worried.
India-Nordic collaboration on defence and space sounds exciting! But I wonder—are we getting technology transfer or just buying their products? We need to build our own capabilities. Also, the Arctic angle is crucial for climate research. Kudos to the team for this outreach!
It's good to see India engaging with smaller but innovative economies like Norway. The blue economy focus is timely given our vast coastline. But I hope this isn't just another photo-op summit. We need concrete projects and timelines, not just MoUs.
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