Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, in Oslo, Norway on May 18, 2026. (PTI)
New Delhi: Norway’s decision to become a partner in the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Oslo underscores how the Indo-Pacific’s maritime stability is no longer a concern limited to regional powers.
As one of the world’s foremost maritime nations with deep expertise in ocean governance, Norway’s entry into the IPOI reflects a shared recognition that the future of global commerce, environmental stewardship, and rules-based order will be shaped decisively in the Indo-Pacific, a region that stretches from the east coast of Japan to the east coast of Africa.
In this screengrab from a video posted on May 18, 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store during delegation-level talks, in Oslo, Norway (PTI)
“The leaders agreed to continue and strengthen the excellent cooperation in the domain of Blue Economy in line with the MOU on Ocean Dialogue signed in 2019,” a joint statement issued following a bilateral summit meeting between Modi and his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Store on Monday reads.
“They recognised the importance of UNCLOS (United Nations Convention for the Law of the Sea) and respect for the right to freedom of navigation and overflight for all in the international seas for the benefit of maritime security, maritime trade and international peace and stability. They reiterated their shared commitment to promoting a free, open, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific, in accordance with international law, including the UNCLOS. In this context, India welcomed Norway’s joining the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative.”
The IPOI was launched by India in November 2019 at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led East Asia Summit to foster cooperation among countries with shared interests in a free, open, inclusive and rules-based maritime order in the Indo-Pacific region. It is a non-treaty, voluntary framework focused on collaborative action across key maritime domains.
The IPOI’s work is structured around seven pillars aimed at addressing shared challenges and opportunities in the region: maritime security; maritime ecology and environment; marine resources; capacity building and resource sharing; disaster risk reduction and Management; science, technology and academic cooperation; and trade, connectivity and maritime transport.
These pillars underscore the initiative’s broad scope — from maritime security cooperation to sustainable use of ocean resources and scientific collaboration — all designed to collectively enhance regional stability, prosperity, and resilience. Australia leads the maritime ecology pillar. France and India jointly lead in maritime resources. Japan leads the connectivity and infrastructure pillar.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi poses for a group photo with Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Union External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and others during the India-Norway Business & Research Summit, in Oslo on Monday. (ANI)
Indonesia has shown interest in maritime security cooperation. Singapore and the UK have contributed to science and academic cooperation.
Norway’s decision to join the IPOI marks a significant development in multilateral maritime cooperation for several reasons. It is a major maritime nation with extensive expertise in shipping, marine science, ocean governance, and sustainable use of marine resources.
Norway’s participation broadens the geographic reach of the IPOI beyond the traditional Indo-Pacific states, linking Europe’s well-developed maritime systems with Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean partners. It demonstrates a shared commitment to maintaining an open and secure maritime domain that underpins global trade and economic connectivity — important given the strategic weight of the Indo-Pacific in global shipping and commerce.
The Indo-Pacific is central to global trade, carrying more than 60 per cent of global maritime commerce, and stability in these waters underpins both regional and global economic health.
Norway’s participation reinforces an inclusive, rules-based maritime order anchored in respect for international law, particularly the UNCLOS. As a long-standing advocate of international law and maritime security, Norway’s voice adds weight to shared principles of freedom of navigation, peaceful dispute settlement, and cooperation on maritime threats. This is important at a time of rising geopolitical tensions in and around the Indo-Pacific, including the Red Sea, South China Sea and other key sea lanes.
Environmental protection and sustainable ocean governance are core aims of the IPOI and resonate strongly with Norway’s policy priorities. Norway is a global leader in ocean science, marine ecology research, and sustainable ocean resource management. Its experience and technology can significantly contribute to the IPOI’s work on marine ecology, disaster risk reduction, and scientific cooperation, thereby improving outcomes across these pillars.
As both India and Norway are prominent maritime nations, Norway’s entry into the IPOI paves the way for deeper cooperation on maritime security initiatives such as anti-piracy, humanitarian assistance, and emergency response, which are crucial for safeguarding sea lanes and coastal resilience. It also helps in capacity building, especially for smaller coastal states in the Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions, through joint training, knowledge sharing, and technical cooperation.
“The Indo-Pacific has become the centre of geopolitical and economic rivalry in the 21st century,” K Yhome, Fellow at the Shillong-based Asian Confluence think tank and an expert on Indo-Pacific issues, told ETV Bharat. “All the countries, including Europe, have been showing interest in being a part of this emerging geopolitical centre of the 21st century.”
Yhome further explained that the trans-Atlantic relations are going through a rough phase under US President Donald Trump’s administration.
“Now, it is in that context that European countries are also looking at alternative partners so that they can also be part of this rapidly rising region of the Indo-Pacific,” he said.
According to Yhome, it is not surprising that Norway is joining the IPOI. “There is this big contest that is emerging between the US and China, and it is in that context that countries in Europe and Latin America are looking for alternatives to provide a new player so that the Indo-Pacific is not dominated by just two powers,” he said.
To sum up, Norway’s decision to join the IPOI expands the initiative’s geographical and strategic footprint, reinforces a rules-based, open, and inclusive maritime order, boosts cooperative efforts on maritime security, sustainability, science, and disaster resilience, enhances capacity building for maritime nations, and signals broadening international support for multilateral approaches to shared maritime challenges.
Collectively, these factors make Norway’s participation highly significant in shaping the future of collaborative Indo-Pacific and maritime cooperation on the global stage.
Also Read
Tech, Sustainability, Standards: The Growing Importance Of The India-Nordic Summit