India-Finland Relations Elevated to Strategic Partnership During President Stubb’s State Visit.
New Delhi/Mumbai:
President of Finland is on a four-day state visit to India from March 4-7 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The visit, which includes stops in New Delhi and Mumbai, aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation in digitalization, sustainability, trade, and multilateral engagement. President Stubb is accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Sari Multala, Minister of Climate and the Environment, and Matias Marttinen, Minister of Employment of Finland, along with business leaders and officials.
Raisina Dialogue and Bilateral Meetings
Today, President Stubb attended the 11th edition of the Raisina Dialogue as the chief guest, delivering the inaugural keynote address. Earlier, he was received at the Rashtrapati Bhavan by President Droupadi Murmu. Prime Minister Modi and President Stubb held extensive bilateral discussions, followed by a joint media address. A luncheon hosted by the Prime Minister further cemented ties between the two nations.
Both leaders highlighted the success of the AI Impact Summit 2026 and reaffirmed their commitment to safe, inclusive, and trustworthy development of Artificial Intelligence (AI). They underscored the deep-rooted friendship between India and Finland, emphasizing shared democratic values, respect for international law, and dedication to global peace and security.
Strategic Partnership in Digitalization and Sustainability
India and Finland agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership in Digitalization and Sustainability. Key focus areas include:
Digital transformation and emerging technologies such as 5G, 6G, quantum computing, AI, and high-performance computing.
Collaboration in Digital Public Infrastructure, including India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
Research and development partnerships in semiconductors, energy systems, and AI.
Joint initiatives in space technology and startup innovation, including the Indo-Finland Startup Corridor.
Trade, Investment, and Business Cooperation
The leaders welcomed the India-EU Free Trade Agreement signed on January 27, 2026, and encouraged businesses to leverage new opportunities. Both sides set an ambitious target to double India-Finland trade by 2030. The India-Finland Business Summit scheduled in Mumbai on March 7 is expected to strengthen trade, technology collaboration, and investment ties.
Sustainability and Clean Energy Initiatives
The visit highlighted collaboration in:
Clean energy solutions, including biofuels, green hydrogen, smart grids, and energy efficiency.
Circular economy, sustainable water management, and meteorology.
Implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on Renewable Energy, Environmental Cooperation, and Smart Energy solutions.
Both nations agreed to establish a Joint Working Group on Sustainability to define priorities and drive tangible outcomes.
Mobility, Education, and People-to-People Exchanges
The leaders emphasized people-to-people contacts, including students, researchers, professionals, and businesspersons. A Memorandum of Understanding on Migration and Mobility Partnership was signed to facilitate orderly and mutually beneficial mobility. Collaboration in education, teacher training, early childhood education, and audiovisual co-production agreements was also strengthened.
Multilateral Cooperation and Security
India and Finland reaffirmed support for a rules-based international order, UN reform, and multilateral engagement on peace, security, human rights, climate change, and sustainable development. Both leaders condemned terrorism and violent extremism, including the recent attacks in Pahalgam and near Red Fort, Delhi. They committed to cooperation in counter-terrorism, anti-money laundering, and disrupting terror financing channels.
The leaders also discussed: Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and Arctic regions.
Support for India’s permanent membership in a reformed UN Security Council.
Strengthening India-EU relations, including technology, defense, and security partnerships.
Both leaders tasked their respective ministries to develop action plans for the India-Finland Strategic Partnership in digitalization and sustainability, outlining priorities and concrete measures. President Stubb thanked Prime Minister Modi for the warm reception and invited him to Finland, which the Prime Minister accepted.
The visit is widely seen as a major milestone in India-Finland relations, setting the stage for enhanced strategic, economic, and technological cooperation in the coming years.
