Dr. Uttam Kumar Sinha, Senior Fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Security Analyses (MP IDSA), delivered a presentation on “What does the Nordic Mean? India’s Engagement with a Distinct Political Culture” during the Monday Morning Meeting held on 8 June 2026. Dr. Opangmeren Jamir, Associate Fellow, MP IDSA moderated the Session, which was attended by scholars from the Institute.

Executive Summary

The Session examined the outcomes of the Third India–Nordic Summit and assessed its implications for India’s evolving engagement with the Nordic countries. The discussion highlighted the transformation of India–Nordic relations from a dialogue-oriented framework to a more institutionalised partnership centered on trade, technology, innovation, sustainability, and strategic cooperation. The presentation underscored how recent developments, including the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), the India–EU Free Trade Agreement, and global energy transitions, have elevated the strategic significance of the Nordic region for India.

Detailed Report

In his Opening Remarks, Dr. Opangmeren Jamir contextualised the recently concluded Third India–Nordic Summit, situating it within the broader trajectory of India–Nordic engagement.

Dr.. Uttam Kumar Sinha, presented a detailed analysis of India’s relations with the Nordic States and began by outlining the evolution of the India–Nordic Summit process since its inception in 2018. He noted that the Third Summit reflected a qualitative shift in the relationship, moving beyond political dialogue towards a more structured and outcome-oriented partnership. Dr. Sinha stated that the outcomes of the Summit were shaped by major developments in the international system. Firstly, he highlighted the significance of the India– European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), both of which have provided a legally binding institutional framework for economic engagement with the countries, including Iceland and Norway. He observed that the agreement is expected to facilitate large-scale investments, job creation, and long-term economic integration.

Secondly, Dr. Sinha highlighted the conclusion of the India–EFT  Agreement in February 2026, which has substantially expanded India’s economic opportunities by linking India with one of the world’s largest economic spaces. Together, the India–EU FTA and the India- EFTA (TEPA) create an integrated ecosystem connecting trade, technology, and investment across Europe and the Nordic region with India.

Third, he identified global energy uncertainty and the transition towards renewable energy as major drivers of India’s growing interest in Nordic countries. As countries seek alternatives to fossil fuel dependence, Nordic expertise in renewable energy, sustainability, and green technologies has become strategically valuable.

Dr. Sinha explained that these global developments played a role in elevating the India–Nordic partnership to a new level, and will also reflect in the creation of what has been termed as “Trusted Green Technology and Innovation Partnership.” He noted that this framework seeks to combine Nordic technological innovation with India’s scale and market potential to create resilient and sustainable solutions.

Highlighting country-specific areas of cooperation between India and the Nordic countries, Dr. .Sinha noted that India’s engagement with Iceland will focus primarily on geothermal energy and fisheries, while cooperation with Norway will center on geoeconomics, Arctic science, and maritime navigation. Sweden is expected to emerge as an important partner in advanced manufacturing and defence technologies, Finland in telecommunications and digital technologies, and Denmark in cybersecurity and healthcare innovation.

The presentation also reflected on the broader historical evolution of India’s relations with Nordic countries, particularly Norway. Dr. Sinha highlighted that Norway was among the earliest countries to establish relations with independent India and has a long record of developmental cooperation with India. He highlighted Norwegian technical assistance to Kerala’s fisheries sector in the early post-independence period as one of the earliest examples of technical cooperation between the two countries.

Drawing on his academic engagements with Nordic institutions, Dr. Sinha emphasised the importance of Track-II interactions between think tanks such as IDSA’s collaboration with Nordic think tanks –  the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies (IFS), Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPR) in strengthening India–Nordic relations. He further highlighted long-standing institutional collaborations between Indian and Nordic research organisations in areas such as peace studies, conflict resolution, nuclear issues, and strategic affairs.

A major component of the presentation focused on understanding the distinctive characteristics of Nordic societies and governance systems. Dr.. Sinha argued that India’s future engagement with the Nordic region should not be limited to trade and investment but should also involve learning from their institutional experiences.

He further stated that Nordic countries have developed a distinctive socio-economic model that combines market competitiveness with extensive welfare provisions. Their governance systems are characterised by strong institutions, social trust, transparency, accountability, and effective public service delivery. These features have enabled Nordic countries to maintain high levels of economic freedom while simultaneously providing universal welfare benefits, including healthcare, education, childcare, and social protection.

He described the Nordic economy model as a pragmatic reconciliation between market-driven economic growth and social welfare objectives. While embracing globalisation, innovation, and entrepreneurship, Nordic countries have also maintained robust labour protections, progressive taxation systems, and strong public institutions. This balance, he argued, offers valuable insights for countries seeking inclusive and sustainable development.

Dr. Sinha observed that India’s rise as a major power will increasingly depend not only on economic growth but also on institutional credibility, administrative effectiveness, social cohesion, and governance capacity. In this regard, Nordic experiences in welfare delivery, urban management, technological modernisation, and state capacity-building provide useful reference points for India’s future development trajectory. He also examined the Nordic self-perception in international politics. He noted that Nordic countries often view themselves as peaceful, socially progressive, and consensus-oriented societies that prioritise institutions over personalities. Historically, this identity enabled them to play active roles in peace mediation, conflict resolution, and international diplomacy despite their relatively small size.

Drawing upon examples from Norway’s peace initiatives and academic institutions, Dr.. Sinha discussed the country’s long-standing engagement in peacebuilding efforts across different regions. However, he also noted that contemporary scholarship has increasingly questioned certain assumptions regarding Nordic exceptionalism and peace mediation. This has led to greater introspection within Nordic societies about their international role.

Q & A Session

Participants raised questions regarding the future trajectory of Nordic cooperation with India, opportunities for defence collaboration, Arctic governance, Nordic relations with the European Union, and the impact of contemporary challenges such as immigration and demographic change in Nordic societies.

Responding to these questions, Dr. Sinha emphasised that India must move beyond signing agreements and focus on effective implementation, monitoring, and institutional follow-through. He argued that Nordic countries place considerable emphasis on accountability, transparency, and measurable outcomes, making implementation essential to build a successful partnership.

On India’s Arctic engagement, Dr. Sinha highlighted India’s growing scientific and strategic interests in the Arctic region, including climate research, environmental monitoring, and maritime connectivity. Referring to India’s research activities in Svalbard and its observer status in the Arctic Council, he emphasised that India has developed substantial engagement with Arctic governance mechanisms. At the same time, he argued that India’s Arctic interests require balanced engagement with all stakeholders, including both Nordic countries and Russia. Given the growing geopolitical significance of the Arctic and the region’s vast resource potential, sustained cooperation with Norway and other Nordic states will remain important for advancing India’s Arctic objectives.

On contemporary challenges facing Nordic societies, Dr. Sinha observed that issues such as immigration, demographic ageing, social integration, and political polarisation have increasingly become part of the Nordic political landscape. Nevertheless, he argued that these challenges do not diminish the significance of Nordic innovations in governance, technology, and public administration.

Lastly, Dr. Sinha emphasised that there remains significant potential for expanding cooperation in defence manufacturing, advanced technologies, energy security, Arctic research, and sustainable development. He concluded by underlining that Nordic experiences in institution-building, innovation, and governance continue to offer important lessons for India’s long-term development and strategic ambitions.

The Report was prepared by Mr. Himanshu Kulkarni, Intern, South Asia Centre, MP-IDSA.