India-Nordic Relations: Time for Higher Ambitions

By : Banashri Bose Harrison

Page No: 200-217

Abstract
The five Nordic countries — Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden, and Norway — are amongst the most advanced in the world in terms of economy, technology, innovativeness, and sustainability. They share values of democracy and of people-centric growth policies with India. In this essay, I have drawn a pen picture of these five countries, and described in some detail how their ties with India have developed over recent times, both bilaterally and within the framework set by the India-Nordic Summits. The survey shows that while relations are moving in the right direction in many areas, such as trade and investment, green industrial transition, critical and emerging technologies like AI, 6G, and the blue economy, enormous potential remains to be tapped from the remarkable fit between India’s strengths and development priorities over the next three decades and the capabilities and needs of the Nordic region. Based on these complementarities, I have suggested a set of specific measures which could transform India-Nordic cooperation into a strategic partnership which could produce larger mutual benefits not only for the partners but could also contribute to global goals.

Author :
Banashri Bose Harrison is a retired Foreign Service Officer. She was head of the Central Europe Division in MEA from June 2010 to August 2012, and served thereafter for 4 years as Ambassador to Sweden and Latvia. She has done post-graduation from the Delhi School of Economics, and holds an M. Phil degree in Security and Strategic Studies. She has also earned a certificate for the study of International Relations from Oxford University.
 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.32381/IFAJ.2024.19.3.5