Eriksen Søreide to focus on energy and shipping in India
India is emerging as an increasingly important partner both economically and politically for Norway. In January, Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Høyre (H) will visit the country.
“Already this year, India is expected to be the world’s fifth largest economy. They have passed the UK and France. They are the world’s largest democracy. For us, it’s a great partner,” said Foreign Minister, Ine Eriksen Søreide (H) to NTB news.
On Friday, she launched a new version of Norway’s India strategy, ten years after the first.
“A lot has happened in ten years, both in India and in the world.
What we are doing now is to launch a new and updated strategy that both further develop some old partnerships and introduces some new ones,” she said.
Among the new ones are the focus on sea and strengthening multilateral cooperation.
“The Prime Minister travels to India in January and then these topics are on the agenda,” said the Foreign Minister.
She also pointed to maternal and child health and research and technology as important areas of co-operation for Norway and India.
For the business sector, the government specifically drew two goals:
Norwegian industry will gain more shares in India’s energy markets and in the ocean-based industries. Among other things, the government will increase Norwegian seafood exports to India.
‘’This strategy is very welcome. What we have achieved over the last ten years is just a small part, the tip of the iceberg to use a metaphor from this part of the world. What lies ahead are deadlines,’’ said India’s ambassador, Krishan Kumar, during the launch on Friday.
Shipping and electric ferries
The strategy document establishes that India, with its fast-growing economy, will become an important market for Norwegian maritime companies, pointing, among other things, to cooperation on LNG shipping and LNG infrastructure. LNG is an English abbreviation for liquefied natural gas.
India is also interested in investing in environmentally friendly shipping, both along the coast and in river transport, which is also growing in Norway.
Power generation
The Indian government has set itself goals for a green transformation. This means that Norwegian expertise in power generation, networking and power sales can be useful according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Ambitions for a transition to cleaner energy forms creates new opportunities for Norwegian business in the fields of gas, water, solar and wind power. Norwegian companies have significant opportunities to take market shares in an emerging economy like India,” it stated in the strategy.
In order to achieve the goals, the government will facilitate cooperation both politically, in business and in the research field.
Environment
India has a decisive role in solving global environmental challenges stated the government.
“We have good experience working with India in terms of climate. They were early in ratifying the Paris agreement and with a decision to ban the use of disposable plastic,” Eriksen Søreide told NTB news.
She noted that Norway and India share both aspirations to preserve and strengthen international cooperation and to ensure a world governed by rules, not least in terms of international trade. Both countries want to secure a seat in the UN Security Council in 2021-2022.
© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today
