Migration, environmental, and statistical cooperation formalised during President Alexander Stubb’s visit
New Delhi: India and Finland formally exchanged three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) at Hyderabad House in Delhi. The event took place in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finland’s President Alexander Stubb. It marks a significant step in strengthening bilateral cooperation.
The first agreement, the MoU on Migration and Mobility Partnership, was signed to connect the innovation ecosystems of both countries and facilitate talent exchange. The second, the Renewed MoU on Environmental Cooperation, was signed to strengthen collaboration on sustainability. The third, the MoU on Bilateral Cooperation in Official Statistics, was signed to enhance statistical research and data sharing.
Prime Minister Modi welcomed President Stubb and highlighted Finland’s appeal for Indian students and talent, noting that these agreements would deepen cooperation from schools to industry, including research, teacher training, school-to-school partnerships, and innovation-driven initiatives.
Modi also pointed to past collaborative successes such as Nokia’s telecom networks in India, the world’s tallest Chenab railway bridge with Finnish architects, and the largest bamboo-to-bioethanol refinery in Numaligarh, as examples of India-Finland technological and sustainable cooperation.
President Stubb praised India as “one of the world’s largest and most influential countries and the world’s largest democracy,” noting the economic dynamism visible on the streets of Delhi. He called India’s growth an “economic miracle” and lauded its pragmatic foreign policy, strategic caution, and commitment to multilateralism, stating, “We should all become a little bit more Indian.” Stubb added that he looked forward to experiencing the vibrancy of Mumbai in the coming days.
The two leaders also emphasised that the strategic partnership between India and Finland would extend to AI, 6G telecom, clean energy, quantum computing, defence, space, semiconductors, and critical minerals, reinforcing trustworthy technology and secure global supply chains. Amid global uncertainty, they highlighted the role of India and Finland in promoting stability, development, and shared prosperity, noting the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement as a framework to strengthen trade, investment, and technological collaboration.
The MoUs exchanged during this visit mark a concrete step in India-Finland cooperation, strengthening collaboration in migration, education, sustainability, statistics, and high-technology sectors while signalling a forward-looking strategic partnership.
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