Embassy of India
Copenhagen
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India-Denmark Relations
The diplomatic relations between India and Denmark, established in September 1949, are based on historical links, common democratic traditions and shared desire for regional, as well as international peace and stability. Bilateral relations were elevated to the level of “Green Strategic Partnership” during the Virtual Summit held on 28 September 2020 between Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Denmark Ms. Mette Frederiksen. The current development of renewed India-Denmark relations has been guided by the “Green Strategic Partnership”.
I. Recent High-Level Interactions
2. Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi paid an official visit to Denmark on 3-4 May 2022. The visit included two components- bilateral talks with PM Frederiksen and the 2nd India-Nordic Summit hosted by India and Denmark. During the bilateral talks, the two Prime Ministers reviewed the progress of India-Denmark Green Strategic Partnership and exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. Queen Margrethe II received Prime Minister and hosted an official dinner in his honour. PM also interacted with the Indian community in Copenhagen and addressed an India-Denmark Business Forum with Crown Prince Frederik and Prime Minister Frederiksen at the Confederation of Danish Industry. MoUs/Agreements in the fields of migration and mobility, green shipping, cultural exchange programme, water resource management, skill development, animal husbandry and dairying were exchanged. On 4 May, PM attended the 2nd India-Nordic Summit along with the Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland and reviewed the India-Nordic relations. A Joint Statement reiterating strong commitment to multilateralism and international cooperation, and a robust partnership with Nordic countries to help promote innovation, economic growth, climate friendly solutions and mutually beneficial trade and investments was issued. On the sidelines of the Summit, Prime Minister held bilateral talks with PMs of Finland, Iceland, Sweden and Norway.
3. Prime Minister Frederiksen paid a State Visit to India on 9-11 October 2021 and held bilateral talks with our Prime Minister. During the visit, she also called on Hon’ble President of India. This was the first visit by a Head of Government to India following the COVID-19 pandemic.
4. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the Prime Minister of Denmark Ms. Mette Frederiksen co-chaired a Virtual Summit on 28 September 2020. During the Summit, the two Prime Ministers launched the “Green Strategic Partnership” between both countries.
5. Earlier, the then Danish Prime Minister Mr. Lars Løkke Rasmussen had visited India from 18-19 January 2019 for the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, where Denmark participated as a Partner Country. Prime Minister Modi also met Danish Prime Minister Rasmussen at the India-Nordic Summit in Stockholm on 17 April 2018.
6. TRH Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of the Kingdom of Denmark visited India from 26 February - 2 March 2023. During the visit they paid a call-on the Hon’ble President, met the Hon’ble Vice President who hosted an official lunch banquet in their honour, inaugurated the exhibition “silver treasures from Denmark and India” at National Museum, and participated in the “India-Denmark Partners for Green and Sustainable Progress” Conference. The Royal Couple also visited Tamil Nadu and met the Governor. TRH Crown Prince and Princess were accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Lars Lokke Rasmussen, Minister of Environment Mr. Magnus Heunicke and the Minister for Climate, Energy & Utilities Mr. Lars Aagaard.
7. Recent Ministerial visits from India to Denmark include visit by Minister of Jal Shakti Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat for the World Water Congress & Exhibition from 12-14 September 2022; External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar on 4-5 September 2021 for the 4th Joint Commission Meeting; visit of Minister for Science & Technology Dr. Harsh Vardhan on 21-24 May 2018 to attend the 9th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM9) held in Copenhagen; and visit of Minister for Food Processing Industries Mrs. Harsimrat Kaur Badal in August 2017 and September 2018 to attend the World Food Summit. A Ministerial delegation led by Shri Mahesh Joshi, Minister for Public Health Engineering and Ground Water, Rajasthan Government also visited Aarhus in August 2022 for cooperation in the field of water resources management.
8. Several Danish Ministers have also visited India in the recent past. These include visits by Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy, Mr. Dan Jorgensen, from 8-12 February 2023 for the UP Global Investors Summit and again a separate visit to attend Clean Energy Ministerial, and G20 Ministerial Working Groups on Green Transition and Environment and Climate Sustainability from 19-22 July 2023; visit by Dan Jorgensen from 7-10 September 2021 as the Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities; Danish Minister for Development Cooperation Mr. Flemming Moller Mortensen on 10-13 August 2022; Danish Minister of Health Mr. Magnus Heunicke on 7-10 March 2022; Foreign Minister Mr. Jeppe Kofod visit on 14-16 January 2020 to attend the 5th edition of the Raisina Dialogue; Minister for Environment and Food Mr. Jakob Ellemann-Jensen on 17-19 January 2019; Foreign Minister Mr. Anders Samuelsen from 17-18 December 2018 and 27-30 November 2017 during which he co-chaired the Joint Commission Meeting with the External Affairs Minister.
9. Recent exchange of Parliamentary delegations include visit by a Danish Parliamentary Standing Committee for European Affairs to India headed by MP Mr Niels Fleming Hansen from 17-20 April 2023; visit of a 7-member Danish Parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee delegation led by Chairman Martin Lidegaard to India from 3-6 March 2020. From Indian side, a Parliamentary Delegation led by Speaker Smt. Meira Kumar visited Denmark from 16-18 June 2011. Last year, a UP Legislature delegation led by Shri Satish Mahana, Speaker, UP Legislative Assembly and Shri Kunwar Manvendra Singh, Chairperson, UP Legislative Council visited Denmark from 13-16 August and met Chairman of the Danish Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Bertel Haarder.
10. The Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Lars Løkke Rasmussen along with an official delegation paid a visit to India from 21-22 February 2024. The Danish Minister participated in the 9th edition of Raisina Dialogue. The Raisina Dialogue is a multilateral conference on geopolitics and geo-economics which is held annually in New Delhi.
11. The Danish Minister of Higher Education and Science, H.E. Christina Egelund along with the Danish Parliament’s Committee of Higher Education and Science led by Ms. Katrine Robsøe visited India on 15 March 2024. The focus of the visit was to learn about how the bilateral research and innovation cooperation supports the development of the Green Strategic Partnership between India and Denmark.
II. Bilateral Institutional Mechanisms
12. A number of bilateral institutional mechanisms at different levels between India and Denmark are in place. The Joint Commission Meeting at the Foreign Ministers' level (established in 2008) and the Foreign Office Consultations at Secretary-level (established in 1995) provide the broad framework for bilateral consultations encompassing all areas of mutual interest. So far, four meetings of the Joint Commission have been held. The latest meeting was held in Copenhagen in September 2021 during which both sides reviewed the progress made since the launch of the Green Strategic Partnership. Foreign Office Consultations have been held seven times since 1995, and the latest edition was held on 1 April 2023 in Copenhagen.
13. Further, a broad-ranging dialogue mechanisms between various Ministries of both sides have been put in place by establishing 11 Joint Working Groups in (i) Renewable Energy, (ii) Shipping and Ports, (iii) Agriculture & Animal Husbandry, (iv) Food Processing, (v) Science & Technology, (vi) Labour Mobility, (vii) Environment, (viii) Smart Cities, (ix) Digitisation (x) Energy Cooperation, and (xi) Health and Medicine. Six Joint Working Groups meetings have taken place in 2022, including most recently held 5th JWG on Renewable Energy (8 September 2022), 4th JWG on Energy (21 September 2022) and JWG on Food Processing & Food Safety (1 December 2022) in Copenhagen. JWG on Health Cooperation met in New Delhi in June 2023.
14. India and Denmark has signed a Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement on 22 Feb 2024 in New Delhi. The agreement was signed by External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishanker and Danish Finance Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen.The agreement aims to give a framework to Indians looking to study and work in Denmark.
Denamrk aims to provide Indians employment in its health sector.
III. Commercial and Economic Relations
12. As per Denmark Statistics, the total volume of bilateral trade in goods and services between India and Denmark is around USD 5,3 billion in 2023 as compared to around USD 6.64 billion in 2022 . It was USD 4.96 billion in 2021. Indian exports (in goods and services) reached USD 2.71 billion in 2023 while imports amounted to around USD 2.519 billion .
13. Bilateral commodities trade in goods figures from financial year 2015-16 to 2021-22 are given below:
(Figures in US$ million)
|
Financial Year
|
India's Exports
|
India's Imports
|
Total
Trade
|
Growth Rate %
|
India's BoT Surplus
|
|
2016-17
|
692.94
|
481.55
|
1,174.50
|
5.12
|
211.39
|
|
2017-18
|
784.10
|
564.55
|
1,348.66
|
14.83
|
219.55
|
|
2018-19
|
746.59
|
537.30
|
1,283.89
|
-4.80
|
209.29
|
|
2019-20
|
733.96
|
632.40
|
1,366.36
|
6.42
|
101.55
|
|
2020-21
|
755.25
|
589.13
|
1,344.37
|
-1.61
|
166.12
|
|
2021-22
|
944.15
|
888.73
|
1,832.88
|
36.33
|
55.42
|
|
2022-23
|
911
|
770
|
1681
|
-8.24%
|
151
|
[Source: DGFT, Dept. of Commerce; figures include trade in goods only]
14. The major export items from India to Denmark are textiles, apparels and yarns related, vehicles and components, metal goods, iron and steel, leather and footwear, and travel goods. Major Danish exports to India are medicinal/pharmaceutical products, power generating machinery, industrial machinery, metal waste and ore, and organic chemicals.
15. Bilateral trade in services between India and Denmark was USD 4.52 billion in 2022 (import to India in services amounting to USD 3.13 billion and export in service sector by India valued at USD 1.39 billion). (Source: Denmark Statistics)
16. As per Denmark Statistics figures, the value of total direct investment inflows from Denmark to India during 2000-2021 was USD 1.81 billion. Around 200 Danish companies have invested in India in sectors such as shipping, renewable energy, environment, agriculture, food processing and smart urban development. Several major Danish companies have built new manufacturing factories under the ‘Make in India’ scheme. Major Danish companies present in India include AP Moller Maersk Group, Vestas, LM Wind Power, Grundfos, Danfoss, Carlsberg, FL Smidth, Novo Nordisk, Haldar Topsoe, Ramboll, etc.
17. As per the information available from Invest in Denmark, the total value of Indian investments in Denmark is about USD 560 million. Around 25 Indian companies are present in Denmark in various sectors, including IT, renewable energy and engineering. Indian companies present in Denmark include Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, L&T Infotech, HCL, Infosys etc. They are providing IT solutions, projects consultancy and outsourcing services, for Danish services sector. In a major acquisition in July 2022, Infosys acquired Danish life sciences consulting and technology company, BASE life sciences for Euro 110 million, strengthening footprint in Denmark.
IV. Cultural Cooperation
18. The Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to commemorate 75 years of India’s Independence were celebrated with much fervour across Denmark with lighting up iconic Danske Industries building with the Indian tricolor, hoisting of the tricolor at the Royal Stock Exchange, Børsen in Central Copenhagen and a multitude of events including Har Ghar Tiranga initiative, singing of Rashtragaan with the Indian diaspora participating in large numbers, food and film festivals, talks on India@75 by eminent persons, school outreach programme with interactive sessions, youth cricket workshop, rangoli, art and dance workshops; essay writing, painting and poster making competitions etc. Commemorating the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the Indian Naval Ship Tarangini made a port call at Aalborg in August 2022 and also participated in the Tall Ship Race 2022. A Cultural Exchange Programme was signed during the visit of Hon’ble PM to Denmark in May 2022 for taking forward cooperation in the cultural sector. A joint exhibition “silver treasures from Denmark and India” was inaugurated during the visit of Royal Couple to India in February 2023 at the National Museum in New Delhi.
19. The International Day of Yoga is celebrated every year by the Embassy across Denmark with the active participation of several organisations like Art of Living, Brahma Kumaris and Danish Sports Yoga Federation. The 9th International Day of Yoga in June 2023 was the most wide spread and high impact, with all important cities of the kingdom, viz. Copenhagen, Aarhus, Veijle, Aalborg, Vejle, Sonderborg, Bornholm, Odense, Torshavn, Nuuk. The flagship IDY event was held at the iconic ‘Royal Danish Opera House’ on 20 June 2023, under the theme Yoga from Arctic to Antartica. For the first time, the International Day of Yoga was also celebrated in Faroe Islands and Bornhom with participation of local communities, thereby taking yoga to the Arctic region. Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar visited Denmark and gave inspiring address on Indian healing systems in September 2022.
20. As part of the 150th Birth Anniversary Celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi, the Embassy organised various events including talks on Gandhiji and tree-planting ceremonies at more than 20 educational institutions including Copenhagen and Roskilde Universities, Kold College, IBC Kolding, Zealand Business College and schools etc.
V. Indian Diaspora / People-to-People Contacts
21. The size of the Indian community in Denmark, inclusive of both NRIs and PIOs is approx 18,492. These include IT professionals, doctors, engineers, finance & banking professionals, academics and students. Important streets and public places named after Indian leaders include Gandhi Plaene (Gandhi Park), Indiakaj (road named after India) and Nehru Road near Aarhus University in Aarhus.
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26 March 2024
