PM Modi’s Norway visit: India-Norway signed 9 agreements, gave new heights to Green Strategic Partnership

Oslo: Giving a new direction to bilateral relations, India and Norway have announced nine agreements and three initiatives aimed at upgrading their relationship to the level of “Green Strategic Partnership” as well as strengthening cooperation in a number of areas including maritime cooperation, green technology, space, health, digital development and scientific research. Both countries adopted a joint statement regarding the “Green Strategic Partnership”.

Following bilateral talks on Monday between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Storey, who is on a two-day visit to Norway, the two countries announced several agreements and initiatives aimed at strengthening cooperation in a number of areas including maritime cooperation, green technology, space, health, digital development and scientific research.

Norway announced to join India’s Indian Pacific Ocean Initiative, while India will participate with the Indian pavilion in the “Nor Shipping” event to be held in the year 2027. Three major agreements were signed between the two countries at the government-to-government level. These include the Framework Agreement for Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses and Exploration of Outer Space between the Indian Space Research Organization and the Norwegian Space Agency, the MoU on Digital Development Partnership between the Foreign Ministries of India and Norway and the Agreement between the Ministry of Health and Care Services of Norway and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India for cooperation in the health sector.

Many important agreements under trade and institutional cooperation were also finalized. MoU signed between National Highway Authority of India and Norwegian Geotechnical Institute for specialized consultancy services related to tunnel construction, slope stability and capacity building. Apart from this, an agreement was signed on technology cooperation between the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research of India and the Research Council of Norway.

With the aim of promoting scientific research and green technology cooperation, a cooperation agreement was signed between the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research of India and the SINTEF organization of Norway for the implementation of activities from the year 2026 to 2029. The two sides also signed a project-specific implementation agreement for a joint work program on marine energy, including offshore wind energy.

In addition, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and the Academy of Scientific and Innovation Research adopted a joint declaration of intent on science, technology and innovation cooperation for green transition with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. An MoU for scientific and commercial cooperation was also signed between CSIR-National Institute of Geophysical Research, Hyderabad and Emerald Geomodeling AS of Norway.

These announcements and agreements are being considered as an important step towards giving new impetus to green development, maritime cooperation, clean energy, technology and research based partnership between India and Norway.