On March 16, 2021, India-Finland Virtual Summit 2021 was held between India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi & Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin.
- India & Finland had announced a new partnership in the fields of ICT, Mobile Technology, Digital Education clean energy investment and evolution of 6G.
- Both sides noted that Digital Domain was one of the promising sectors for an intensive India-Finland partnership.
Indian IT firms to collaborate with Finland
- Indian IT firms Wipro & Tech Mahindra will collaborate with Finnish companies for developing 5G & 6G technologies for use in India & other markets
- The IT firms will also collaborate with Finnish Universities for collaboration and expansion of 5G and evolution of 6G technologies.
Digital & Sustainability Partnerships
The two sides agreed to focus on 3 key domains namely Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity & Blockchain Technologies.
- Digital Partnership
- For facilitating research and development of 6G mobile technologies, quantum computing and digital transformation of teaching.
- The emphasis of India-Finland digital partnership will be on future Information and Communications Technology (ICT) with focus on Quantum technologies & computing.
- Sustainability Partnership
- For development of renewable & clean energy, circular economy, and sustainable mobility. ‘green growth’ will be the major element of bilateral cooperation.
Quantum Computing
- The Two Prime Ministers reviewed the progress of ongoing collaboration in Joint Development of Quantum Computer with the use of Artificial Intelligence.
- The collaboration for Quantum Computing is taking place between Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research, Pune & Aalto University, Finland.
Renewal of MoU in Higher Education Sector
The Two sides are also set to sign an renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between a consortium of 10 Finnish Universities & 23 IITs in India for cooperation in Higher Education Sector.
Highlights
- Both sides noted the potential of India & Finland to undertake developmental activities in Africa.
- India suggested enhanced cooperation in areas like renewable and bio-energy, sustainability, edu-tech, pharma and digitization.
- India invited Finland to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA) & the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
- Both sides have potential for enhanced cooperation on Polar issues.
- India has an observer status in the Arctic Council, and both countries are consultative members of the Antarctic Treaty and have active stations in Antarctica.
- India will meet Finland again at the India-European Union Leaders’ summit in Portugal in May, 2021 and India-Nordic summit in 2021.
Recent Related News:
i.On December 17, 2020, a virtual India-Bangladesh Summit 2020 was held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina which concluded with a Joint Statement.
About Finland:
President – Sauli Niinistö
Capital – Helsinki
Currency – Euro (EUR)
