New Delhi, Oct 9 (UNI): India and Denmark on Saturday took forward their unique Green Strategic Partnership by launching a five-year results-oriented action plan with focus on sectors like water, renewable energy, smart cities, food and agriculture, during the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen here, that also saw the inking of a number of agreements, including on skill development.
The visit by Frederiksen is her first to India and it is also the first state visit by a head of government to India in the past 20 months since such bilateral visits were stopped in the wake of the Covid pandemic.
Modi highlighted this factor in his speech as he said Hyderabad House had been witness to numerous such diplomatic meetings with visiting heads of state or government, which came to a standstill due to Covid.
“I am happy that we are making a new beginning (of holding meetings in Hyderabad House) with the visit of the Danish PM,” he said, welcoming the delegation.
He described as “historic” the decision between the two sides to establish the Green Strategic Partnership last year. “Our partnership is an example of how through cooperation both sides can work towards promoting green growth using technology.”
Both sides reviewed the Green Strategic Partnership, and reiterated their commitment to enhance cooperation towards mitigating climate change.
He also announced that Denmark has decided to join the International Solar Alliance, which he said would add a new dimension to their partnership.
The joint statement issued after the talks said the two PMs “reconfirmed their commitment to an aspiring and results-oriented Green Strategic Partnership. They welcomed the detailed 5-year Action Plan (2021-2026) and noted the progress in its implementation. They agreed that strengthening of the Green Strategic Partnership will be important for green growth and will lead to mutually beneficial cooperation.
“The two PMs focused on ways to augment and consolidate green and low carbon growth as reflected in the 5 year Action Plan. This includes the following sectors: water; environment; renewable energy and its integration into the grid; climate action; resource efficiency and circular economy; sustainable and smart cities; business; trade and investments including cooperation on Intellectual Property Rights; maritime cooperation, including maritime security; food and agriculture; science, technology and innovation; health and life science; cooperation in multilateral organizations; as well as cultural and people-to-people relations,” it said.
Modi said Danish companies have been in India for long, and work in fields like energy, food processing, logistics, infrastructure, machinery, software. “They have contributed to the success of not only Make in India but also Make in India for the World. Danish companies have played a major role in contributing towards India’s vision for progress, and the speed and scale with which it seeks to move forward.”
He said the economic reforms in India, especially in the manufacturing sector, provide a great opportunity for Danish firms.
PM Modi proposed that the two sides should collaborate in the field of agriculture technology, and in related fields like food safety, cold chain, food processing, fertilizers, fisheries, aquaculture and also smart water resource management, ‘Waste to Best’, and efficient supply chains.
Both sides also had productive and detailed discussions on regional and global issues.
The joint statement had a paragraph on Afghanistan. It said the two Prime Ministers shared perspectives on developments in their respective regions, including the worrisome situation in Afghanistan and agreed on the importance of: avoiding further regional destabilization; strengthening regional engagement including regional trade and connectivity, and taking firm steps to counter radicalisation; and maintaining progress on fundamental rights.
They committed to continuing support to the Afghan people, while underlining the need for inclusivity in Afghanistan, counter-terrorism guarantees and respect for human rights, in particular women’s rights, in accordance with UNSC Resolution 2593, adopted during India’s presidency of the UNSC in August this year.
On the Indo-Pacific, the two PMs welcomed the recent announcement of a EU strategy on Indo-Pacific and noted the plans for increased European engagement in the Indo-Pacific region, it said.
On the India-EU FTA talks, it said the two PMs acknowledged the India-EU Leaders’ Meeting in May 2021 as a new milestone in the India-EU Strategic Partnership and welcomed the decision to resume negotiations on an ambitious, balanced, comprehensive and mutually beneficial India-EU Free Trade Agreement and launch negotiations on a separate investment agreement.
