Norway and India discussing a migration and mobility agreement to enhance economic relations: Envoy

Norway and India are discussing a migration and mobility agreement that will enhance the growing economic relations between the two countries, Norwegian ambassador to India Hans Jacob Frydenlund said.

On Thursday, a Norwegian delegation led by Trade and Industries Minister Jan Christian Vestre is also scheduled to arrive in Delhi and its visit is aimed at increasing cooperation in trade and investment between the nations, he said.

"We have been discussing it (a migration and mobility agreement) but we haven't concluded for the time being. There is quite a substantial immigration to Norway. Indians are the biggest work immigrants in Norway outside the EU (European Union)," Frydenlund told PTI.

The envoy was asked whether the Nordic nations like some EU members will sign a migration and mobility agreement with India.

Frydenlund said highly qualified Indian workers play a "very important" role in the economic integration between the two nations. "We really see that this (agreement) is important for both of us and we are looking forward to receiving more Indian workers," the envoy said.

On the delegation's visit, Frydenlund said, "With the minister is a substantial delegation of companies that are specialising in energy, particularly in renewable energy, and ocean, particularly in green shipping etc." "We hope his visit will enable us to even further strengthen the economic cooperation between the two countries as we have seen our trade is increasing fast in both directions," he said.

The ambassador said Norway is offering its "full plate of technologies, competence and capital" to help develop the renewable energy sector in India.

"Norway is an energy country. We have a whole variety of energy sources. Norway was the first country who started producing green hydrogen, more than a century ago which is now very much important here in India with the National Hydrogen Mission," he underlined.

On Norway's sovereign wealth fund decision to divest its stake in India's Bharat Electronic Ltd (BEL), the envoy said it was an individual decision and not one made by the Norwegian government.

"This has nothing to do with Indian politics and it is more about individual firms. This is something which is considered by the ethics committee of this sovereign wealth fund. This is the decision they make apparently from individual authority," Frydenlund said.

The 2nd India-Nordic Summit was held in May 2022, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in it along with his counterparts from Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland.