PM Modi’s Norway Visit Strengthens India–Europe Green Partnership

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official visit to Norway on 18–19 May 2026 turned Oslo into a key stop on India’s wider European outreach, as New Delhi and Oslo elevated their ties to a Green Strategic Partnership linked closely to the India–EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA). The visit combined high‑level political meetings, royal engagements and a business and research summit that underscored India’s role as a long‑term, reliable partner for European economies, including Norway.

Bilateral talks and a Green Strategic Partnership

In Oslo, Prime Minister Modi held bilateral talks with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, where the two leaders reviewed the full spectrum of India–Norway relations, from trade and investment to climate action, the blue economy, polar cooperation, research and higher education. They agreed to elevate the relationship to a Green Strategic Partnership, signalling a shared focus on sustainability, clean energy and green industrial growth that aligns India–Norway cooperation with Europe’s broader green transition agenda.

The leaders set an ambitious target of doubling the value of current trade between India and Norway by 2030 and encouraged business communities to work towards fulfilling TEPA’s commitment of US$ 100 billion in investment and the creation of one million jobs in India. They tasked their teams to deepen cooperation in areas such as offshore wind, carbon capture, shipbuilding, green shipping, cyber security, artificial intelligence, fisheries and aquaculture, while reaffirming their support for the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and Norway’s participation in the Indo‑Pacific Oceans Initiative.

India and Norway deepen their green strategic partnership with a shared vision for sustainable growth, innovation, and a US$100 billion economic future.

Business and research summit with a European lens

At the India–Norway Business and Research Summit in Oslo, Prime Minister Modi joined Crown Prince Haakon and Prime Minister Støre in addressing over 50 chief executives and more than 250 participants from Indian and Norwegian business and research institutions. The summit was framed as a direct outcome of TEPA’s entry into force, marking the growing momentum in economic cooperation between India and European partners such as Norway within the wider EFTA framework.

In his address, Prime Minister Modi welcomed the growth in bilateral trade and investment since TEPA took effect and underlined that stakeholders on both sides should work to achieve the investment target of US$ 100 billion and one million jobs in India.

He highlighted India’s strong growth path, demographic dividend, digital public infrastructure and investor‑friendly regulations, inviting greater Norwegian investment in sectors including the blue economy, shipbuilding, renewable energy, health‑tech, critical minerals and start‑ups. A number of business agreements between Indian and Norwegian entities were signed on the sidelines of the summit, further tying India’s growth story to European capital and technology.

Royal honour and focus on technology ties

Prime Minister Modi also had an audience with His Majesty King Harald V at the Royal Palace in Oslo, where he conveyed the greetings of the people of India and underlined that the long‑standing friendship between India and Norway is anchored in shared democratic values and people‑centric governance. The discussions highlighted the progress made by Indian and Norwegian companies in new technologies, reflecting how innovation‑driven sectors are shaping the partnership.

In a special ceremony, King Harald V conferred on Prime Minister Modi the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit, Norway’s highest honour for foreign heads of government. Prime Minister Modi expressed deep gratitude and dedicated the award to the historic friendship between the peoples of India and Norway, describing it as a symbol of the warmth and trust that will guide future collaboration.

Norway in India’s wider Europe strategy

Beyond bilateral outcomes, the Oslo visit positioned Norway as a key European partner in advancing India’s green transition, maritime cooperation and digital public infrastructure, areas that are increasingly central to India–Europe engagement.

Joint work on clean energy, ocean governance, Arctic research and digital public goods links Norway’s technological strengths with India’s scale and development priorities, reinforcing TEPA as a cornerstone of India’s broader economic and strategic agenda in Europe.