Oslo, May 19 — Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said the Nordic countries and India share common priorities, including strengthening a rules-based international order and tackling climate change through sustained multilateral action. Orpo made the remarks at a joint press conference with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Nordic leaders after the 3rd India-Nordic Summit in Oslo.
The summit brought together leaders from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and India to assess progress and identify new avenues for cooperation amid shifting global dynamics. Attending leaders included Prime Minister Narendra Modi; Acting Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen; Norway’s Jonas Gahr Støre; Finland’s Petteri Orpo; Iceland’s Kristrun Mjoll Frostadottir; and Sweden’s Ulf Kristersson.
Orpo noted current geopolitical turbulence and said partnerships rooted in trust, mutual respect and shared democratic values are vital. He also announced that Finland will host the next Nordic-India summit.
Ahead of the summit, Orpo held a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Modi focused on deepening ties in trade, digitalisation, emerging technologies and sustainability. The two countries will jointly host the World Circular Economy Forum in September in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Their talks followed the elevation of India-Finland relations to a Strategic Partnership in digitalisation and sustainability in March.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, leaders reviewed cooperation across trade and investment, digitalisation, artificial intelligence, 5G/6G, quantum technologies, space, renewable energy, circular economy, innovation, education, mobility and people-to-people links. They welcomed steady growth in bilateral trade and reaffirmed a joint goal to double trade in goods and services by 2030.
Both sides praised increased presence of technology firms and the contribution of Indian professionals to Finland’s tech and innovation sectors. They also exchanged views on regional and global developments and stressed the importance of early implementation of a proposed India-EU Free Trade Agreement.
