India, Denmark to cooperate on health, clean water, green fuel; ink four MoUs

New Delhi : Taking forward their unique Green Strategic Partnership, India and Denmark on Saturday signed four agreements including in skill development and added health, clean water and green fuel to their list of cooperation, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with his visiting Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen here.

The visit by Frederiksen is her first to India and it is also the first state visit by a head of state or government to India in the past 20 months since such bilateral visits were stopped in the wake of the Covid pandemic.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted this factor in his speech as he said that Hyderabad House, the venue of their meeting, had been witness to numerous such diplomatic talks with visiting heads of state or government, which came to a standstill due to Covid.

“I am happy that we are making a new beginning (of holding meetings in Hyderabad House) with the visit of the Danish PM,” he said, welcoming the delegation.

He said the two sides had met earlier in virtual mode last year, when they took the “historic step” to establish the Green Strategic Partnership. “Our partnership is an example of how through cooperation both sides can work towards promoting green growth using technology.”

He said both sides reviewed the Green Strategic Partnership, and reiterated their commitment to enhance cooperation towards mitigating climate change.

He also announced that Denmark has decided to join the International Solar Alliance, which he said would add a new dimension to their partnership.

Modi said Danish companies have been in India for long, and work in fields like energy, food processing, logistics, infrastructure, machinery, software. “They have contributed to the success of not only Make in India but also Make in India for the World. Danish companies have played a major role in contributing towards India’s vision for progress, and the speed and scale with which it seeks to move forward.”

He said the economic reforms in India, especially in the manufacturing sector, provide a great opportunity for Danish firms.

“I have taken the decision that we will keep adding new vistas to our cooperation. We have made a new beginning in health partnership.”

The two sides will collaborate in the field of agriculture technology, and also in related fields like food safety, cold chain, food processing, fertilizers, fisheries, aquaculture. Both sides will also cooperate in the field of smart water resource management, ‘Waste to Best’, and efficient supply chains, he said.

Both sides also had productive and detailed discussions on regional and global issues, Modi said, and expressed gratitude to Denmark for its strong support to India in multilateral forums. “In future too, our two democracies that believe in rules based order, will continue to work with each other,” he added.

He thanked her for inviting him to Denmark for the next India-Nordic Summit.

Prime Minister Frederiksen, in her remarks, said they had a “very fruitful and productive meeting, which illustrates our warm relationship”.

“Both believe in the international system based on rules, and I am proud as Danes to have such a strong partner in India,” she said.

“Our cooperation is a great example of how green growth and green transition can go hand in hand,“ she said, adding that they have agreed on a “very ambitious green strategic partnership”.

“I know a lot of countries are looking at this partnership,” she said, adding that Prime Minister Modi had suggested that they go for this kind of partnership.

“We have agreed on concrete green ideas, in the field of water and green fuel, and agreed to work on health and agriculture. Our green cooperation is part of a very ambitious five-year joint action plan. We need to show some ambitious results,” she added.

She said she was happy that Danish companies are supporting the green transition in India and contributing to a greener and healthier life for Indians.

“I am convinced India and Denmark have a huge and untapped trade potential,“ she said, and thanked PM Modi for accepting the invite to Denmark for the next summit.

The MoUs signed were in the field of mapping of ground water resources and aquifers, on Traditional Knowledge Digital Library Access, for natural refrigerants for tropical climates with potential applications, and in skill development.

Earlier, the Danish PM, who is here on a three-day state visit, was given a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan forecourt.

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