Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo on Tuesday held wide-ranging talks on boosting cooperation in trade, digitalisation, emerging technologies and sustainability, while also announcing that India and Finland will jointly host the World Circular Economy Forum in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, in September 2026.
The two leaders met on the sidelines of the 3rd India-Nordic Summit in Oslo during PM Modi’s ongoing five-nation tour from May 15 to 20. Modi reached Norway after visiting the UAE, the Netherlands and Sweden and is scheduled to travel to Italy in the final leg of his visit.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), both leaders reviewed bilateral cooperation across sectors including trade and investment, artificial intelligence, 5G/6G, quantum technologies, space, renewable energy, circular economy, innovation, education and mobility.
“With the elevation of the bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership in Digitalization and Sustainability, both Leaders emphasized the importance of strengthening collaboration between industry, research institutions, and academia,” the MEA said in a statement.
The ministry added that both sides underlined the role of sustainability and digitalisation in driving future economic growth and development.
The leaders also welcomed the steady rise in bilateral trade despite global economic challenges and reaffirmed their commitment to doubling trade between the two countries by 2030.
“Both sides also welcomed the steady growth in bilateral trade in goods and services despite global challenges and reaffirmed their commitment to doubling existing bilateral trade by 2030,” the statement said.
India and Finland also announced that they would jointly host the World Circular Economy Forum in Gandhinagar next year. The previous edition of the forum was held in Brazil in May 2025.
The Finnish side appreciated the contribution of Indian professionals to Finland’s technology and innovation sectors, while both countries welcomed the growing presence of technology companies in each other’s markets.
Prime Minister Modi later described the meeting as productive in a post on X.
“Delighted to meet the Prime Minister of Finland, Mr. Petteri Orpo. This year has witnessed extensive engagements as far as India and Finland are concerned. PM Orpo himself had come to India for the AI Impact Summit. Our meeting today is aimed at giving new energy to bilateral relations,” Modi wrote.
“We spoke of working together in futuristic sectors like 6G, AI, education, nuclear energy and more. We also discussed how to deepen linkages in climate change, circular economy, sustainable development and more,” he added.
The MEA said India and Finland share warm and multifaceted ties rooted in shared democratic values, with Finland being an important partner for India in the European Union and Nordic region.
The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and global developments and stressed the importance of early implementation of the proposed India-European Union Free Trade Agreement.
