- Finland and India have called this visit a defining moment in mutual relations, and it has led to the elevation of the relationship to a strategic partnership in digitisation and sustainability.
- The Finnish President had high praise for Indian foreign policy, calling the country very pragmatic and its foreign policy highly realistic.
- Europe is gradually diversifying its partnerships, moving beyond traditional reliance on the United States and reducing overdependence on China, while engaging more with fast-growing economies such as India.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb was on a long visit to India, his first to the country since becoming President. It is notable that just last month, the Finnish Prime Minister, Petteri Orpo, also made a three-day visit to India. The series of visits by both the Prime Minister and the President of Finland shows the close proximity that is evolving between the two countries.
Both countries have called this visit a defining moment in India–Finland relations, and it has led to the elevation of the relationship to a strategic partnership in digitisation and sustainability. The visit of the Finnish President came after an invitation from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where he held meetings with the Prime Minister. More importantly, the Finnish President was also the guest speaker at the 11th Raisina Dialogue organised by ORF and the Ministry of External Affairs.
The President’s visit had two legs. In the first leg, he visited Delhi to meet with the Prime Minister, and the second leg of the visit took him to Mumbai. During the Delhi visit, India and Finland signed several agreements. Both countries signed the Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement and agreed to establish a joint task force for the development of 6G technology. Other memorandums of understanding were also signed in the fields of defence, space, semiconductors, and critical minerals.
Both countries also agreed that the war in Ukraine must end, as it is important for both Finland and India that the conflict concludes and diplomatic solutions are pursued.
The Finnish President had high praise for Indian foreign policy, calling the country very pragmatic and its foreign policy highly realistic. This itself enabled the Finnish President, while being the guest speaker at the Raisina Conference, to recall the words used by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in 2022 towards Europe. In a very pointed remark, Jaishankar had said that Europe must move beyond the mindset that Europe’s problems are the world’s problems, while the world’s problems are not Europe’s problems.
These words were echoed by the Finnish President, who noted that Europe has slowly and gradually come to understand this reality. However, this is not the first time that a European leader has reiterated the words of Minister Jaishankar. It was earlier echoed by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during her visit to India in 2023. At that time, when she was invited as a guest speaker at the Raisina Dialogue, she also praised India and reiterated the same words of Minister Jaishankar.
Finland has remained an important destination for Indian professionals, especially in the technology sector, where many Indian professionals go to work. Finland has also recently faced economic stagnation, and at a time when India has a booming workforce, this cooperation could benefit both countries.
The visit of the Finnish President also reflects how India is trying to come closer to the European continent in general. Recently, India has attempted to advance its relationships with several European countries. More importantly, European countries themselves are facing serious security dilemmas. Notably, the 2022 Russia–Ukraine war led Finland to join NATO due to its security concerns.
There are also economic considerations. Europe is gradually diversifying its partnerships, moving beyond traditional reliance on the United States and reducing overdependence on China, while engaging more with fast-growing economies such as India. Therefore, the visit of the Finnish President highlights the evolving dynamics between India and Finland, where both countries have much to gain from the growing proximity between Europe and India.
Aayush Pal is a freelance writer on contemporary geopolitical developments. The views expressed in his work are entirely his own.
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