Narendra Modi arrived in Oslo on 18 May to meet Jonas Gahr Støre for talks that change how both nations work together on the climate and energy for the future. And they signed a new deal called the Green Strategic Tie. It is a big step. This marks the first time an Indian Prime Minister has visited the Nordic country in over 40 years since the last trip by an Indian leader. So the two leaders spent the afternoon looking at ways to link Indian labor with Norwegian tech and capital for new energy projects that could help the planet. They focused heavily on green shipping and clean energy projects while walking through the city with their teams of experts from both of the countries. Støre says the deal gives them a base to share knowledge and tools for the green shift across the entire world for many years to come.
Now Modi wants to use Norwegian money to help India grow at speed while solving climate issues for people in both nations through new green tech. The trade deal with the EFTA group started on 1 October and acts as the core of their new economic plan to grow the business links. Yet they also want to bring $100 billion in foreign money into India to create one million jobs over the next 15 years for the young people. The money is huge. India has already set up a special desk to help Norwegian firms move through the legal process much faster than they could before the new rules. Or they want to cut red tape.
But the talk was not just about cash. They looked at space and health too. ISRO and the Norwegian Space Agency will now work together on new research and satellite tools for tracking the ocean and the weather patterns. And they also plan to help the Global South by sharing digital systems for health and school programs in many different countries that need the help. The world is watching.
The two men also spoke about the wars in Ukraine and West Asia during their private lunch in the center of the capital city today. They agree that guns will not solve these problems and called for more talk and less fighting between the major powers in the world right now. Støre said that working together brings better results than staying alone when facing these big global shifts in the economy and the environment too.
The day ended with a big meeting of 50 top bosses from the biggest firms currently working in the city of Oslo and surrounding areas. Modi asked them to look at India’s wind and solar power as a place to grow their own green businesses and find new ways to profit. But he says India is ready.
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