New Delhi, May 18 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday arrived in Norway on the fourth leg of his five-nation tour, marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Nordic nation in more than four decades as New Delhi seeks to deepen strategic engagement with Europe in areas ranging from trade and advanced technology to clean energy and Arctic cooperation.
“PM @narendramodi arrived in Oslo, Norway, a short while ago. He was received by PM @jonasgahrstore at the airport,” Prime Minister’s Office said in a post on X. It added: “During the visit PM Modi will call on Their Majesties King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway and hold talks with PM Støre. The PM will also participate in the 3rd India-Nordic Summit.”
The visit is being viewed as a significant diplomatic milestone in India-Norway relations and forms part of India’s broader outreach to Europe and the Nordic region amid evolving geopolitical and economic challenges.
Shortly after his arrival, Modi described the visit as an important opportunity to strengthen bilateral ties and regional cooperation with Nordic countries.
“Landed in Oslo, Norway. I’m grateful to Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre for the warm welcome at the airport. This is the first Prime Ministerial visit to Norway in over four decades. I’m confident it will add vigour to the India-Norway friendship,” Modi said in a post on social media platform X.
The Prime Minister said he would call on Their Majesties King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway and hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Støre. He also highlighted the importance of the upcoming India-Nordic Summit in Oslo.
“Tomorrow, on the 19th, the 3rd India-Nordic Summit will take place in Oslo, presenting a wonderful opportunity to meet my Nordic counterparts,” Modi said.
The India-Nordic Summit is expected to bring together leaders from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, with discussions likely to focus on green transition, renewable energy, digitisation, innovation, Arctic cooperation and the blue economy.
In Oslo, Modi is scheduled to hold detailed bilateral discussions with Støre on trade, technology, clean energy, investment and other strategic sectors. Officials said the talks would also cover cooperation in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, resilient supply chains and maritime industries.
The Norway visit forms part of Modi’s six-day, five-nation tour that began on Friday and includes stops in the United Arab Emirates, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy. The multi-nation diplomatic outreach comes at a time when India is accelerating efforts to strengthen strategic and economic partnerships with Europe and key Gulf nations following the conclusion of the India-European union Free Trade Agreement earlier this year.
The tour is also taking place against the backdrop of continuing geopolitical tensions, disruptions in global trade routes and uncertainty in energy markets linked to developments in West Asia and Europe. New Delhi has been seeking to diversify strategic partnerships while expanding cooperation in critical and emerging technologies.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had earlier said that the Prime Minister’s engagements during the visit would cover a “wide-ranging agenda aimed at strengthening India’s global partnerships.”
India and Norway have steadily expanded cooperation in recent years in areas such as maritime affairs, renewable energy, fisheries, ocean economy, polar research and climate action. Norway has also emerged as an important partner for India in green shipping, clean technologies and sustainable development initiatives.
The India-Nordic Summit, first launched in 2018, has become a key platform for enhancing India’s engagement with the Nordic region, which is widely recognised for innovation, sustainability and advanced industrial technologies. Officials said the latest summit in Oslo is expected to further strengthen collaboration between India and Nordic countries in addressing global challenges linked to climate transition, digital transformation and economic resilience. UNI SKA AAB