India and Norway on Monday upgraded their relationship to a “Green Strategic Partnership,” unveiling a broad roadmap that spans clean energy, Arctic research, green shipping, digital infrastructure and emerging technologies. The announcement followed comprehensive talks in Oslo between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
The two sides set a goal of doubling bilateral trade by 2030 and agreed to speed up investments under the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), which envisages USD 100 billion in investments and the creation of one million jobs in India over the next 15 years.
At a joint press interaction, Modi described ties with Europe as entering a “new golden era” amid global instability. He said the upgraded partnership would focus on developing global solutions across clean energy, climate resilience, the blue economy and green shipping.
Leaders reviewed the full spectrum of cooperation — trade and investment, climate action, ocean governance, research, higher education, polar cooperation, space, artificial intelligence and mobility of talent. They pledged deeper cooperation in offshore wind, carbon capture, shipbuilding, cyber security, robotics, fisheries, aquaculture and seafarer training, and reaffirmed their commitment to a rules-based international order and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Norway formally joined the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative, a step both governments called significant for maritime cooperation and sustainable ocean governance. Modi invited Norway to participate in Bharat Innovates 2026 in France and proposed launching a bilateral Start-up Innovation Hub and a Green Innovation Hackathon.
The leaders discussed strengthening Arctic cooperation; Norway has supported operations at India’s Arctic research station, Himadri. An MoU between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Norwegian Space Agency was signed to broaden space collaboration.
Prime Minister Støre reiterated Norway’s support for India’s bid for permanent membership of a reformed UN Security Council. Both leaders issued a strong joint condemnation of terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, and called for coordinated global action against the threat.
Later in Oslo, King Harald V conferred on Prime Minister Modi the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit, Norway’s highest honour for foreign heads of government. Modi dedicated the award to the friendship and trust between the peoples of India and Norway.
