India-Norway Relations Enter New Era as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Historic Visit Delivers Landmark Green Strategic Partnership

The visit has been widely viewed as a turning point in India-Norway ties, laying the foundation for deeper cooperation across strategic sectors. Speaking during an exclusive interaction, Norwegian Ambassador May-Elin Stener said the visit had significantly reinforced the relationship between the two nations.

“We now have a good framework for cooperation in the future. It has been thoroughly strengthened and we are very happy about that,” Ambassador Stener said.

At the centre of the visit was the signing of the Green Strategic Partnership, an agreement designed to expand collaboration in renewable energy, climate solutions, and sustainable technologies. Norway, which emerged as an energy superpower following the discovery of oil and gas resources in the early 1970s, is now pursuing a carefully managed transition toward cleaner energy sources while continuing to meet global energy demands.

Ambassador Stener highlighted Norway’s expertise in Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), a technology considered crucial for reducing industrial emissions. She noted that India’s Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, visited Norway last year to examine a CCS facility that stores captured carbon beneath the seabed. Norway has expressed its willingness to share such advanced technologies with India as part of the new partnership framework.

“This new green strategic partnership will elevate this cooperation and take it into the future,” she said.

The visit also coincided with a major milestone in economic relations. The Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) nations—Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Liechtenstein—entered into force on October 1 last year, providing a stronger institutional framework for trade and investment.

Ambassador Stener pointed to an early example of the agreement’s impact. Norwegian energy company Equinor completed its first-ever liquefied natural gas delivery to India in May under a 15-year supply agreement with Deepak Fertilisers. The development is expected to strengthen energy supplies while supporting industrial and agricultural requirements.

“This will help energy delivery into India at the same time as Deepak Fertilisers will be able to provide fertilisers in a better way. It is an example of better trade deals and very good follow-up of the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement,” she said.

Economic engagement between the two countries has expanded steadily over the past decade. The number of Norwegian companies operating in India has doubled to approximately 160, a trend that Norwegian officials expect to accelerate following the outcomes of the visit.

Maritime cooperation emerged as another major pillar of the relationship. Ambassador Stener described the maritime sector as one of the most significant areas of business collaboration between the two nations, emphasizing that both India and Norway are major maritime powers.

“Maybe the most important part for Norway at this point, where we cooperate more with India on the business side than in any other sector, is the maritime sector. We are both big maritime powers,” she said.

Norway is already sending around 10 per cent of its vessels to Indian shipyards for construction. With India advancing the Sagarmala Programme and pursuing Vision 2047 goals related to green shipbuilding and a sustainable blue economy, both countries see substantial opportunities for expanded cooperation.

“Norwegian shipbuilders are looking to India to build more ships as part of India’s ambitions to have more shipbuilding here,” Ambassador Stener noted.

The third India-Nordic Summit also played a central role during the visit. Bringing together Prime Minister Modi and the leaders of all five Nordic nations, the summit elevated cooperation to a Green Technology and Innovation Strategic Partnership while reaffirming a shared commitment to a rules-based international order among democratic nations.

Ambassador Stener described the summit as an important opportunity for Nordic leaders to engage directly with the leader of the world’s most populous country. Discussions extended beyond trade and energy to include geopolitical developments, global instability, and the conflict in Ukraine. While acknowledging that India and Norway view Russia from different perspectives, she stressed the importance of sustained dialogue and engagement.

Looking ahead, both countries are preparing for deeper cooperation across a broader range of sectors. Following six ministerial exchanges in the year preceding the summit, new frameworks are also being developed in health technology and artificial intelligence.

“There are so many more issues to discuss. We will definitely want high-level engagements to continue,” Ambassador Stener said.

The visit concluded with Prime Minister Narendra Modi being awarded Norway’s highest civilian honour, underscoring the significance of the engagement and symbolising the emergence of a stronger and more strategic partnership between India and Norway. With agreements spanning green energy, trade, maritime development, technology, health innovation, and regional cooperation, the visit has opened a new chapter in bilateral relations and established a long-term roadmap for collaboration between the two nations.