The Office of the Prime Minister of Norway

05/19/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/19/2026 06:41

Norway and India to strengthen cooperation

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a meeting in Oslo to discuss ways of strengthening cooperation between Norway and India in the areas of trade, the green transition, technology and international security.

'I am pleased to welcome Prime Minister Modi to Norway for a two-day visit. India is an important partner for Norway at this time of instability and global change. We are seeking closer cooperation in the areas of trade, technology and the green transition,' said Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

Green strategic partnership

This is the first visit to Norway by an Indian Prime Minister since 1983. During the visit, Norway and India have established a green strategic partnership.

'We are facing major global challenges. The war in Ukraine continues unabated, conflicts in the Middle East are creating further instability, and international trade and supply chains are under pressure. In this situation, cooperation between democratic countries is more important than ever,' said Mr Støre.

Trade cooperation between Norway and India was enhanced when the EFTA-India Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) entered into force on 1 October 2025, following 16 years of negotiations. The agreement promotes investment and job creation in both Norway and India, and also gives Norwegian businesses better access to the Indian market. Some 160 Norwegian companies are currently operating in India.

Important for Norwegian jobs

'Increased trade with India is important for Norwegian jobs and businesses, and benefits Norwegian society as a whole. Norway and India have different strengths that complement each other. Norway has expertise in areas such as offshore wind, hydrogen, and carbon capture and storage, while India has great capacity and high ambitions in the area of renewable energy. Together we can help to achieve green growth and find the new solutions the world needs,' said Mr Støre.

In connection with Mr Modi's visit and the Norway-India Business and Research Summit held in Oslo, Norwegian and Indian companies will be signing roughly 30 agreements.

The agreements being signed show that both the Norwegian and the Indian business sectors see the value of closer cooperation. The trade agreement between our two countries will facilitate this.

Artificial intelligence and new technology

The partnership between Norway and India extends beyond the economic sphere. Norway and India are also collaborating on the development of responsible artificial intelligence and new technologies. During the visit, Norway and India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that lays the foundation for cooperation in a variety of areas, including digital health and artificial intelligence, research and health technology. The objective is to develop sustainable, high-quality health services.

Norway and India also entered into a partnership on digital development. Key Norwegian and Indian institutions will be expanding cooperation on digital public goods, for example population registries in third countries.

'Democratic countries have a special responsibility to show how open societies can safeguard security and promote growth and better lives for their citizens. This is another reason why this visit is important - for Norway, India and international cooperation more generally,' said Mr Støre.

Outcomes of the visit

  • Green strategic partnership. Closer cooperation to promote the green transition and sustainable development. This includes efforts to combat climate change and loss of biodiversity, and cooperation in the areas of renewable energy, low-carbon technologies, energy efficiency and energy storage technologies. The partnership will be led by the Norway-India Joint Commission. A number of cooperation agreements will be signed between Norway and India, and various institutions and businesses in the areas of offshore wind, scientific research, and technology and innovation for the green transition and sustainable ocean management.
  • Health cooperation. The Ministry of Health and Care Services has signed an MoU on closer cooperation with India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The MoU lays the foundation for cooperation on digital health and artificial intelligence, research and health technology, with the aim of developing sustainable, high-quality health services.
  • The Norwegian and Indian Ministries of Foreign Affairs have signed an MoU on establishing a partnership on digital development. Key Norwegian and Indian institutions will be expanding cooperation on digital public goods, for example population registries in third countries.
  • Investment in water purification treatment. Together with the Indian company VA Tech WABAG and other international investors, Norfund plans to invest up to NOK 920 million (USD 100 million) in water treatment technologies and infrastructure. This will promote sustainable water management and support economic development in India. The aim is to develop projects that have a combined value of USD 500 million. This investment by Norfund comes in addition to its existing portfolio of more than NOK 4.4 billion in India.
  • The oceans. As major ocean states, Norway and India have established a number of cooperative initiatives and dialogues on sustainable ocean management, marine litter and maritime security. The Norwegian Environment Agency, the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) and Statistics Norway are all involved in this cooperation.
  • Space and research cooperation. The Norwegian Space Agency (NOSA) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)have entered into a cooperation agreement on the exploration and use of space for peaceful purposes. A number of other agreements have also been signed between Norwegian and Indian research institutions, such as the Research Council of Norway, SINTEF and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).
  • Business agreements. In connection with the visit and the Norway-India Business and Research Summit held in Oslo, Norwegian and Indian companies will be signing roughly 30 agreements
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