PM Narendra Modi to participate in second India-Nordic Summit in Denmark today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in the 2nd India-Nordic Summit today along with Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Sweden and Norway. 

The summit is being hosted by Denmark. Mr Modi will also hold bilateral meetings with Prime Minister of Iceland Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and Finland Prime Minister Sanna Marin.

Sources reports that the India Nordic Summit will help in expanding India's multifaceted cooperation with the Nordic region.

It will focus on subjects like post-pandemic economic recovery, climate change, innovation and technology, renewable energy, the evolving global security scenario and India-Nordic cooperation in the Arctic region.

Nordic countries are important partners for India in sustainability, renewable energy, digitisation and innovation.

Matters of regional and global interests will also come up for discussion.

The principal focus of the Summit is how to carry forward the agenda of bilateral engagement between India and the Nordic countries.

The 1st India-Nordic Summit took place in 2018 in Stockholm. The 2018 India-Nordic Summit reiterated the six countries' commitment to global security, economic growth, innovation and climate change.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held delegation-level talks with Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in Copenhagen. Both leaders reviewed the progress of the Green Strategic Partnership which was the first of its kind arrangement between India and Denmark. 

Ahead of the talks, Prime Minister Modi took a private tour of the official residence of the Danish Prime Minister at Marienburg. 

PM Modi reached Denmark's capital yesterday afternoon for the second leg of his visit to three-European nations. 

As a special gesture, Denmark's Prime Minister received Prime Minister Modi at the Copenhagen airport. In a tweet, Mr Modi said this visit will go a long way in further cementing India-Denmark ties.

After holding the delegation-level talks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address at the joint press meeting said that both India and Denmark not only share the values of democracy, freedom of expression, and the rule of law but both have many complementary strengths.

PM Modi mentioned that during the India-Denmark Virtual Summit in October 2020, the two countries gave their relationship the status of a Green Strategic Partnership and during yesterday's discussion, the two leaders reviewed the joint work plan of Green Strategic Partnership. 

The Prime Minister expressed happiness that significant progress has been made in various fields, especially in the areas of renewable energy, health, sports, shipping, circular economy and water management. 

Mr Modi said, more than 200 Danish companies are working in different sectors in India and these companies are benefiting from an increased ease of doing business and economic reforms in India. 

The Prime Minister added that many investment opportunities are available for Danish Companies and Danish Pension Funds in India's Infrastructure Sector and Green Industries. 

PM Modi said they also discussed many regional and global issues including India-EU relations, Indo-Pacific and Ukraine. 

He hoped that the negotiations on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement will conclude soon. Mr Modi said they emphasized on ensuring a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific region and also called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and taking the path of dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the problem.

Prime Minister Modi said they also discussed cooperation in the field of climate and have agreed to explore more opportunities for cooperation in the Arctic region. 

He said, India is also committed to fulfilling the resolutions taken at the Glasgow COP-26.

In her address at the joint press meeting, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that both sides had a very productive meeting. 

She said, the relations between India and Denmark are very strong. 

She added that they are moving fast in transforming the Green Strategic Partnership into some concrete results.