Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday announced that India and Norway have signed a triangular development cooperation agreement aimed at supporting human development projects across countries in the Global South. The announcement was made during a joint press meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre ahead of the third India-Nordic Summit in Oslo on May 19.
The agreement focuses on expanding cooperation through India’s digital public infrastructure initiatives. Speaking at the event, PM Modi said, “Today, we also signed a triangular development cooperation agreement. Together, we will contribute to human development in Global South countries through India’s digital public infrastructure projects.” The partnership reflects the growing cooperation between the two countries in areas linked to technology, development and global outreach.
PM Modi also highlighted the importance of stronger maritime ties between India and Norway. Referring to Norway’s participation in the Indo-Pacific Ocean Initiative, he said the two nations would deepen cooperation in maritime security, marine economy and capacity building. “As two major maritime nations, we will strengthen cooperation in the marine economy, maritime security and capacity building,” he said.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister also spoke about the changing global environment and the importance of stronger partnerships between India and European countries. “The world today is passing through instability and uncertainty,” the prime minister said. Against this backdrop, he added that India and Europe are entering a new “Golden Era” in their relationship.
A major focus of the discussions was the India-EFTA agreement, which PM Modi described as “historic.” He said the agreement would serve as a model for shared economic growth and prosperity between India and Norway. According to him, the pact aims to bring large-scale investments into India over the coming years. “This agreement sets a target of attracting investments totalling 100 billion dollars into India and creating one million jobs over the next fifteen years,” he said.
India and Norway also decided to strengthen cooperation in the healthcare sector. The two countries are signing an MoU on developing high-quality health services and increasing collaboration in digital health, artificial intelligence, research and health technology. The agreement is expected to improve innovation and knowledge-sharing between institutions in both nations.
Norway Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre also stressed the need for cooperation at a time when countries across the world are facing multiple challenges. He underlined the importance of partnerships instead of isolation and warned against the misuse of diplomacy, trade and technology for political purposes.
“I believe that cooperation delivers better results than unilateralism and isolation, especially when it comes to global challenges. We have to stand up against those who weaponise diplomacy, who weaponise trade, and who weaponise technology,” Norway PM Jonas Gahr Store said.
The meeting between the two leaders comes at a time when India is expanding its engagement with Nordic countries in areas such as green energy, digital innovation, trade, healthcare and maritime development. The India-Nordic Summit in Oslo is expected to further strengthen these partnerships and open new opportunities for cooperation between India and the Nordic region.
The triangular cooperation agreement is also being seen as an important step in India’s efforts to support developing countries through technology-driven solutions. India’s digital public infrastructure model, which includes platforms for digital identity, payments and governance, has increasingly gained global attention. Through this partnership with Norway, India aims to extend the benefits of these systems to countries in the Global South and support development initiatives in areas like healthcare, governance and public services.
The discussions between the two leaders reflected a broader push to build long-term partnerships based on trade, technology, sustainability and strategic cooperation. With new agreements in development projects, health technology and maritime sectors, India and Norway are expected to deepen their engagement in the coming years.