Oslo [Norway], May 19 (ANI): India and the Nordic countries on Tuesday elevated their relationship to a “Green Technology and Innovation Strategic Partnership” at the 3rd India-Nordic Summit in Oslo, with leaders outlining expanded cooperation across climate action, artificial intelligence, Arctic research, trade, education and people-to-people exchanges.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined the leaders of Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland and Sweden at the summit hosted by Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
The meeting built upon the earlier India-Nordic summits held in Stockholm in 2018 and Copenhagen in 2022.
In a joint statement issued after the summit, the leaders said the partnership comes at a time of “global geopolitical flux and rapid economic and technological transformation” and underlined the need for deeper cooperation based on shared interests and democratic values.
The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to international law, democracy, human rights, gender equality, sovereignty and territorial integrity, while discussing global peace and security challenges, including conflicts in Europe and West Asia/Middle East.
A major focus of the summit was climate action and green transition. The leaders stressed the importance of multilateral efforts to tackle climate change in line with the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. They also highlighted sustainable lifestyles, circular economy practices and India-led Mission LiFE as key tools in addressing climate and environmental challenges.
The Nordic countries appreciated India’s commitment to renewable energy targets, while the leaders jointly called for affordable climate finance, technology transfer and capacity building to support clean energy transitions, especially in developing countries.
The summit also saw renewed emphasis on cooperation in renewable energy, green hydrogen, carbon capture technologies and critical minerals for sustainable growth.
On technology and innovation, the leaders highlighted the transformative potential of digitalisation and artificial intelligence and stressed the need for inclusive, transparent and human-centric AI governance.
“They underscored the importance of inclusive and democratised access to AI, including access to sustainable, energy-efficient and trusted computing infrastructure,” the joint statement read.
The leaders also welcomed India’s hosting of the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi in February 2026 and called for greater collaboration among startups, incubators and private sector players in emerging technologies, including 5G and 6G communications.
India and the Nordic countries further agreed to expand joint research projects in STEM fields and deepen cooperation in education and innovation ecosystems.
Space cooperation also featured prominently during the summit. The leaders welcomed the framework agreement between the Indian Space Research Organisation and the Norwegian Space Agency on peaceful uses of outer space, as well as a proposal for a Swedish payload on India’s Venus Orbiter Mission.
The summit additionally strengthened cooperation in Arctic and polar research, with leaders acknowledging increasing linkages between the Arctic and Indo-Pacific regions. The Nordic countries welcomed India’s continued engagement as an observer in the Arctic Council and supported enhanced collaboration on climate and environmental research.
The leaders also underlined the importance of growing people-to-people contacts through culture, tourism and talent mobility. They agreed to support legal, safe and orderly movement of students, researchers and professionals between India and the Nordic countries.
The Prime Ministers welcomed the 2nd Nordic-India Dialogue held in Reykjavik in 2025 and confirmed that the third edition of the dialogue would be hosted in India in 2026.
Concluding the summit, the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to deepening India-Nordic cooperation across strategic, technological and sustainable development sectors. They also announced that the 4th India-Nordic Summit will be hosted by Finland. (ANI)
