India-Finland’s ‘special friendship’ becomes stronger, Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said – ‘FTA will increase investment and employment in India’…

The growing strategic relations between India and Finland have now reached a new level. Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, in a recent interview, while referring to her ‘special friendship’ with India, said that relations between the two countries have never been so good before. He described the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as a strong foundation for India’s economy.

FTA: New source of investment and employment

Valtonen stressed that the FTA agreement signed in January 2026 has created immense potential for investment and trade. Following the formal signing in December 2026, the elimination of tariffs in sectors such as textiles, leather, automobiles and engineering goods will accelerate trade activity between the two countries. He said that Finland will use its full strength to implement this agreement as soon as possible as it will not only increase trade but will also bring job opportunities and prosperity for the people of both the countries.

Green transition and cooperation in technology

Finland, which aims to become carbon-neutral by 2035, has pledged to extend full support to India in its ‘climate neutrality’ journey. “Clean energy is not only good for the environment, it also makes a great business case,” Valtonen said. Apart from this, in the context of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s recent visit to Finland, he said that both the countries have laid the foundation for working together in future areas like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Semiconductor, 6G Technology, Quantum Technology and Space.

sharing of democratic values

The Finnish Minister emphasized that democratic countries like India and Finland which value individual choice and freedom should come closer at the global level. The ‘common agenda’ of both the countries is now going beyond trade and going deeper in the field of security and emerging technology. This partnership is not only a means of economic development, but also a strong alliance to deal with future global challenges.