Norway is a Scandinavian country, known for its diverse and dramatic geography. Mountainous areas, sharp coastlines, and fjords make up its landscape. Norway shares its borders with Sweden, Finland, and Russia and has rich access to the North Sea, Norwegian Sea, and the Barents Sea.
Recently in the news was an update by Norway’s Ambassador to India about the burgeoning commercial ties between Norway and India. Bilateral trade between the two nations has seen a significant improvement, doubling to $2 billion in the last two years.
Tracing the History of India-Norway Relations
The relationship between India and Norway is as old as independent India itself. The establishment of mutual relations took place in 1947, right after India managed to free itself from British rule. Earlier, Norway had set up consulates in Kolkata and Mumbai in 1845 and 1857, respectively, hinting at the interest in Indo-Norwegian connections.
In 1952, Norway initiated the ‘India fund’ to facilitate development assistance, particularly targeting the fisheries sector. The same year saw the opening of the Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi. This marked the beginning of a long-lasting and cooperative bond between the two countries, with Norway supporting India’s membership in export control regimes like the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the Wassenaar Arrangement (WA), and the Australia Group (AG) over the years.
This partnership led to India signing a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) with Norway in 1986. It was later revised in February 2011 for better compliance and understanding.
Recent Developments in India-Norway Relations
After years of diplomatic dormancy, the Consulate General of Norway in Mumbai sprung to life in 2015. Since the 1970s, it had been non-operational. The re-opening led to Innovation Norway, the Norwegian government’s official trade representative, setting up offices in Mumbai and New Delhi.
The Norwegian government launched a new ‘India Strategy‘ in December 2018. The scheme sets explicit priorities until 2030 and aims at reinforcing the bilateral cooperation between the two nations. It focuses on critical areas like democracy, oceans, energy, climate, environment, research, higher education, and global health. The strategy works on three pillars: Political cooperation, business cooperation, and research cooperation.
Further strengthening diplomatic ties, both countries jointly inaugurated the India-Norway Task Force on Blue Economy for Sustainable Development in 2020. The task force’s primary objective is developing and monitoring joint initiatives, mobilizing core stakeholders, and ensuring continuous progress across multiple domains.
Prime Minister of Norway’s Visit to India
The Prime Minister of Norway visited India in 2019, which further bolstered the relationship between the two countries. During this visit, several MOUs got signed, imbuing new life into the partnership. The Prime Minister also addressed the inaugural session of the Raisina Dialogue and inaugurated the India-Norway Business Summit.
Exploring Economic Relations and Collaboration Fields
By 2019, more than 100 Norwegian companies had set up their bases in India, with another 50 represented by agents. A significant foreign investor in India is the Norwegian Pension Fund Global, with investments amounting to USD 9.5 billion in 2019.
Norway is the fifth largest commercial ship fleet globally and hence has high stakes in the ship recycling and shipbuilding industry. The nation works closely with India in these fields. Academic collaborations have also taken shape between institutions in both countries. The Norwegian company, Piql, has played a significant role in creating a digital archive for Indian monuments like the Taj Mahal and others.
