In a special ceremony hosted in Oslo, His Majesty King Herald V of Norway conferred upon Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi the ‘Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit’. The award is Norway’s highest honour bestowed on foreign Heads of Government, and is conferred in recognition of the outstanding service in the interest of Norway and humankind.
Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Modi expressed his deep gratitude to His Majesty King Herald V and to the people of Norway for this honour. He dedicated the award to the historic friendship between India and Norway, calling it a tribute to the enduring warmth, trust, and affection shared between the people of India and the people of Norway.
The conferment stands as a symbol of the deep bonds of goodwill that exists between India and Norway, and will guide their journey of friendship and collaboration into the future.The Summit was attended by CEOs of over 50 companies and more than 250 participants from the Norwegian and Indian business and research communities. The Summit marked the growing momentum in bilateral economic cooperation following the coming into force of India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement.
Prior to the high level Business and Research Summit, four roundtable sessions were organized across different locations in Oslo, focusing on healthcare innovation, maritime cooperation, batteries and energy storage systems, digitalization and electrification, and wind energy.
In his address, Prime Minister Modi appreciated the growth in bilateral trade and investments following the entry into force of TEPA. He underlined that stakeholders on both sides should make efforts to achieve the investment target of USD 100 billion under TEPA and consequent creation of one million jobs in India. India’s strong upward growth trajectory, demographic dividend, talented and aspirational youth, robust business practices, investor-friendly regulatory framework, and the spirit of competitive federalism. He encouraged greater Norwegian investments in India in key sectors such as the blue economy, shipbuilding, green transition, renewable energy, health-tech, critical minerals, and start-ups.
Prime Minister Modi also underscored India’s ambitious green transition agenda, emphasizing the country’s scale, growing energy demands, climate commitments, and rapid expansion in renewable energy, grid infrastructure, green hydrogen, and clean energy. He appreciated Norway’s global leadership in clean energy investments, maritime decarbonization, ocean sustainability, and climate finance. The Prime Minister urged the business communities of both countries to forge new partnerships, identify emerging areas of collaboration, and strengthen economic cooperation.
A number of business agreements between Indian and Norwegian companies and entities were signed during the Summit.
Source: https://www.pmindia.gov.in/en/
