Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: A very good evening to all of you. We are here in Copenhagen, on the second leg of Honourable Prime Minister visit to three countries in Europe and currently in Denmark. We've had an intensive day of engagements. And even now it's not over for the day, still couple of engagements left. Taking this opportunity to just brief you on what has happened throughout the day we have with us Foreign Secretary sir to give us a sense of what exactly has taken place in the sense of the conversations that Prime Minister had today his counterpart. We also have with us Secretary (West) Sanjay Varma, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs looking after Central Europe division Neeta Bhushan as well of course our Ambassador to Denmark Smt. Pooja Kapoor. I will now hand over the floor to Shri Vinay Kwatra, Foreign Secretary.
Shri Vinay Kwatra, Foreign Secretary: Thank you very much Secretary Sanjay Verma, Additional Secretary Neeta Bhushan, Ambassador Pooja Kapoor, Spokesperson and friends from the media. Thank you very much for coming here this evening for this media briefing. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji commenced the second leg of his program by his first visit to Denmark today as a special gesture, the Prime Minister of Denmark Her Excellency Mette Frederiksen, welcomed the Prime Minister at the airport. The Prime Minister's program during the day so far has included, he started off his program with a one to one talks with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, followed by delegation level talks, in which the two Prime Ministers held extensive discussions on the full range of bilateral cooperation as also on matters of regional and global interest. The outcomes to which I would come later suggest and reflect the positive and progressive agenda of India Denmark partnership. In a high profile business event, the two Prime Ministers also interacted with the top CEOs of both countries. During this interaction, Prime Minister Shri Modi invited the Danish businesses to associate with and invest in India's economic growth story. 17 Danish CEOs and 13 Indian CEOs were present at this business event.
It was also clearly recognized at the event that India and Denmark and the private sector stakeholders need to highlight and project the success and strength of commercial partnerships between India and Denmark to the whole world. This was followed by an interaction with Indian diaspora in Denmark, an event marked by great energy and enthusiasm. This event also was graced by Prime Minister her Excellency Mette Frederiksen, who was present at this event. Bilateral discussions between the two leaders have also resulted in productive outcomes. And these include I would list out the major outcomes after the discussions. Letter of intents were signed on smart water management, on green shipping and announcement was also made about the launch of ministerial energy dialogue between the two countries. These three outcomes would strengthen the green strategic partnership between our two countries, including through cooperation in green technologies, green hydrogen, renewables, green sustainable development solutions and fighting the climate change together. I must mention here that outside the tropics, Denmark was the first country to join the International Solar Alliance.
Second, the discussions also led to the expansion of economic trade, investment, digital and innovation cooperation between the two countries. This whole cluster is a very significant strand of our partnership. Around 200 Danish companies are present in India and around 60 Indian companies are present in Denmark. In this space the outcomes included the Memorandum of Understanding on skill development, vocational education, and entrepreneurship. Also joint declaration of the intent on the centre of excellence on animal husbandry and daring, three, Business and Technology Partnerships between the companies of India and Denmark across a range of sectors. And the two leaders also expressed their commitment to expedite the discussion and conclusion of India-EU FTA. There were also discussions on bilateral cooperation in the Arctic region. And the outcomes also included an element which relates to our people to people linkages. As you know, strong People to People linkages between India and Denmark provide an important underpinning to our shared values and to growing trade and investment ties. In this respect, an important outcome also was the joint declaration of intent on migration and mobility that would further strengthen our cooperation, including through expansion in trade and services. There was also a five-year cultural exchange program which was signed, which would strengthen the cultural cooperation between our two countries.
Later this evening, Prime Minister would also call on Her Majesty the Queen Margaret the second, which is to be followed by a banquet dinner to be hosted by Her Majesty. Tomorrow, Prime Minister Modi Ji would hold the second India Nordic Summit with the leaders of Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland. He would also hold bilateral summit meetings with his counterparts from Sweden, Norway, Iceland, and Finland prior to the second Nordic Summit. Prime Minister's Modi's visit, starts a new chapter in India, Denmark green strategic partnership, and sets an ambitious agenda of cooperation, which is mutually beneficial to both our countries, economies and societies. Thank you very much.
Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Thank you very much sir. I know that we have next engagement coming up. So just take a couple of questions. From DD, you had a query please go ahead.
Arun: Good evening, sir. I'm Arun from DD India. I have couple of questions. Number one, tomorrow, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be interacting or engaging with Nordic leaders in the wake of the Russia Ukraine crisis how is India going to engage with these Nordic leaders? That's number one. Number two, we have seen today that personal chemistry between both the leaders. So at any level primarily, the issue of Kim Davy extradition. did that come up at any level formally or informally between both the leaders?
Shri Vinay Kwatra, Foreign Secretary: Thank you very much. Regarding the agenda of tomorrow's second Indo Indian Nordic Summit meeting. I think the scope of discussions for India Nordic summit as also for the bilateral summit meeting between Prime Minister and his counterparts from the remaining four countries, that is Sweden, Norway, Iceland and Finland I think it focuses more and principally on the elements of bilateral cooperation, which essentially fall in three to four major clusters. One is the trade and investment ties, two the digital and innovation partnership, three, the green partnership so to speak. And four I would say, other areas of economic cooperation where there are developmental and capacity complementarities between the Nordic countries and India. Naturally during these discussions, matters of regional and global interests would also come up for discussion, but the principal thrust the principal focus of this discussion is how to carry forward the agenda of bilateral engagement between India and the Nordic countries. With regard to the Kim Davy question that you asked, that is issue which is subject matter of legal processes between the two countries. And those processes are currently underway. It would be incorrect for me to really make any comment with regard to those processes.
Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Thank you sir. Before we end one more question.
Sudhakar Das: Sir I’m Sudhakar Das from DD News. Ek sawal to yeh hai Sir, Germany mein bhi hamne dekha ki Green Partnership par baat hui aur yahan bhi ek Joint action plan ki PM Modi ne baat ki hai. Germany mein 10 billion Euro ka commitment Germany ki taraf se kiya gaya tha iss mein kya kuchh khaas Joint action plan mein hai. Aur doosra sawal mera Sir, CEOs ki jo meeting hui thee to vyapar , kafi bharat aur Denmark ke beech mein 5-6 saal mein badha hai to ismen kuchh kya khas aakalan karte kiss tarah se karte hain aap CEOs meeting mein ? (Questioned in Hindi; Approximate Translation) Sir I am Sudhakar Das from DD News. Sir, in Germany also we saw that there was a talk on green partnership and here also a joint action plan has been talked about by PM Modi. A commitment of 10 billion Euros in Germany was made by Germany. Is there something special about this joint action plan.And the second question was my Sir, about the meeting of the CEOs. So, the trade between India and Denmark has grown significantly in 5-6 years. So what do you anticipate in this particular way from the outcome of the CEOs meeting?
Shri Vinay Kwatra, Foreign Secretary: Dekhiye, aap ka jo prashn hai ki jo germany mein Green sustainable Partnership pe jo do netaon ne apane hastakshar kiye the uske antargat ye pratibaddhata thi key Germany jo hai 10 billion Euro ka sun 2030 tak bharat mein nivesh karega jahan tak Denmark ya anya Nordic ke deshon ka prashn hai jaise ki main ne aap se pehle kaha bharat tatha Nordic ke deshon mein kshamtaon, technically, vanijya Capital key complementarities hai. har dash ko aur bharat ki har desh ke saath jo sambandhon ko rooprekha hai, woh har desh ki kshamata aur unki simitataon ke maddenajar chalti hai. Jahan tak bharat or denmark ka prashn hai, bharat aur baki nordic deshon ka prashn hai, ye sahyog sahakarya ki jo rooprekha hai yeh bhi donon desh ke beech ki adharit kshamataon par hi paripoorn hongi. jahan tak joint action plan ki aapne germany mein baat ki, jaise ki maine kaha aaj ki varta ke baad donon deshon ne teen aur chaar mahatvapoorn vishayon pay, smart water management ki jaise maine baat ki, Green shipping ki jaise maine baat kee is prakar ke kai aur mahatvapurna letter of intent par aaj sahamati hui hai, svikriti hui hai. To aage aane vale mahinon mein aur aage aane vaale varshon mein isi ke aadhar par bharat aur denmark ke beech mein jo green strategic partnership hai, jo green technology par sahyog hai jo renewables ke kshetra mein sahakarya hai jo paryavaran suraksha ko lekar jo bhi kadam uthane hain vah isi ke antargat joint action plan ke antargat hi karyanvit honge aur yeh teen letter of intent jiske baare mein maine baat ki usi ke antargat jo hai aaj hastakshar kiye gaye hain. Jahan tak aapne seo business roundtable ki baat ki mera manna hai ki yah varta bahut hi vyapak rahi lagbhag har vishay, wind energy se related mudde hon, green technology key manufacturing ka prashn ho bharat men aur bharat tatha denmark ke sahyog se bharat mein manufacturing ka prashn ho saur oorja ko leker kiss tarah se donon desh apni kshamataon ko ek saath joden. kiss prakar se joki conventional manufacturing process hai unko kis tarah se or green banaya jaye in sab vishayon ko lekar aur anya vishayon ko lekar bhi aaj ki jo varta business round table curry bahut hi vyapak rahi aur mere ko yeh kehne mein koi sankoch nahi hai ki aage aane vaale varshon mein na keval vyapar mein aapko achchhi pragati dekhane ko milegi apitu denmark dvara bharat men nivesh, technology ke kshetr men vyapak sahyoga in donon mein bhi aapko kafi mahatvapurna pragati dikhati hui avashya milegi. (Answered in Hindi; Approximate Translation) Look at the question of you that under the green sustainable partnership in Germany which was signed by the two leaders, it was a commitment that Germany, which is, will invest 10 billion euros in India by 2030. As far as Denmark or other Nordic countries are concerned, as I said before you. The countries of India and Nordic have capabilities, technology, complementarities of commerce capital. The framework of every decade and India's relations with every country goes by the capabilities of every country and their limitations. As far as India and Denmark are concerned, India and the rest of the Nordic countries are concerned, the framework of these cooperation will also be based on the capabilities between the two countries. As far as the Joint Action Plan you talked about in Germany, as I said, after today's talks, the two countries took to three and four important topics, smart water management, as I talked about green shipping, as I talked about green shipping. Many more important letters of this kind have been agreed, accepted today. So, in the coming months and in the coming years, based on this, there is a Green Strategic Partnership between India and Denmark, which is cooperation on green technology. Which is a co-operation in the field of renewables. Whatever steps have to be taken for environmental protection will be implemented under the Joint Action Plan and these three Letters of Intent which I talked about are signed today. As far as you are concerned with the CEO Business Roundtable, I believe that this dialogue was very comprehensive. Almost every subject, be it issues related to wind energy, the question of manufacturing of green technology in India and the question of manufacturing in India in collaboration with India and Denmark. How do the two countries combine their capabilities together with regard to solar energy? How to make the traditional manufacturing process green in what way? Today's discussions on all these topics and other topics were also very comprehensive in the business round table. And I have no hesitation in saying that in the years to come, you will not only see good progress in trade, but also in the investment by Denmark in India, extensive cooperation in the field of technology. In both of these, you will definitely find a lot of significant progress.
Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Thank you very much sir for your time. Let me also thank Secretary West Shri Sanjay Verma, Additional Secretary Neeta Bhushan, Ambassador Pooja Kapoor for being here. Thank you for joining us. Good evening.
Shri Vinay Kwatra, Foreign Secretary: Thank you.