Denmark’s relationship with India has been pretty much on standby since 2010, when the two countries butted heads over the Danish refusal to extradite weapons merchant Niels Holck to India.
But the frosty co-operation looks to be melting now.
PM Lars Løkke Rasmussen met with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi at the Nordic-Indian summit in Stockholm this week to bury the hatchet and devise new plans for a co-operative future.
“The prime ministers noted that the unique strengths of India and the Nordic countries offer immense opportunities for trade and investment diversification and mutually beneficial collaboration,” the Foreign Ministry noted.
“During the talks, the importance of the rules-based multilateral trading system as well as open and inclusive international trade for prosperity and growth was underlined, and the Ease of Doing Business practices were emphasised as a priority for both the Nordic countries and India.”
READ MORE: Danish PM to take part in big Nordic-Indian summit
Culture institute approved
Other areas of co-operation that would be rekindled or established were human rights, tackling extremism, the UN’s 2030 Agenda, global security, economic growth, innovation and climate change.
Moreover, as part of the talks it was agreed that Denmark would open a Danish culture institute in New Delhi this coming autumn in a bid to promote Denmark’s connections in the country.
Denmark has had cultural institute departments abroad since 1940 – in countries such as China, Brazil, Poland, Russia, Latvia and Belgium.
The Carlsberg Foundation has allocated 4 million kroner to the project in India, which is a key market for the Danish brewery giant.
