HELSINKI: Finland has come out in strong support of India's candidature for permanent membership of the UN security council as well as the Nuclear Suppliers Group, even as the two countries on Wednesday inked 17 pacts and decided to "double" their existing $1.5 billion bilateral trade within three years.
The 17 agreements, ranging from cooperation in nuclear radiation safety to education, green technology, biotechnology and renewable energy, were signed after delegation-level talks between President Pranab Mukherjee and his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto here.
Holding that the UN had "unfortunately" proved to be quite ineffective in dealing with the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, Niinisto said India was "a natural claimant" for an expanded security council and "should play a central role in global affairs". Finland, however, wants veto powers to be restricted since it feels it impedes the UNSC's decision-making and work.
Pranab Mukherjee (right) and his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto review a guard of honour during an official welcoming ceremony at the government banquet hall in Helsinki, on October 15, 2014. (AFP photo)
Niinisto also expressed great enthusiasm for the Modi government's "Make in India" policy, in the backdrop of around 130 Finnish companies already operating in India and their acknowledged strength in R&D, innovation and green technology.
India also hosts one of the five global centers or FinNodes for innovation run by Finland, which has witnessed a downswing in ties with its traditional economic partner Russia after the Ukrainian conflict. Officials said Finland was looking at "commercializing and marketing" the 39 joint R&D projects it was already running with India, including a new diagnostic test in biotechnology.
Mukherjee, in turn, said India wanted to learn from Finland's "tremendous advances" in infrastructure development, clean energy, ship-building, manufacturing, biotechnology, healthcare and services.
President Pranab Mukherjee (right) meets with Finland's Prime Minister Alexander Stubb in Helsinki, on October 15, 2014. (AP photo)
"India invites investors and entrepreneurs from Finland to look at our infrastructure sector and join hands with Indian counterparts in the new government's Make-in-India initiative," he said.
There is also convergence of views between India and Finland in several important areas ranging from terrorism and Afghanistan to the need to handle exploration of resources in the Arctic region in a sustainable manner.
"President Mukherjee's stress on how the exploitation of Arctic resources should not be allowed to create environmental problems like the industrial revolution did was much appreciated by the Finnish government," said an official.
Finland bats for India’s UN security council, NSG bid - The Times of India
The 17 agreements, ranging from cooperation in nuclear radiation safety to education, green technology, biotechnology and renewable energy, were signed after delegation-level talks between President Pranab Mukherjee and his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto here.
Holding that the UN had "unfortunately" proved to be quite ineffective in dealing with the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, Niinisto said India was "a natural claimant" for an expanded security council and "should play a central role in global affairs". Finland, however, wants veto powers to be restricted since it feels it impedes the UNSC's decision-making and work.
Pranab Mukherjee (right) and his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto review a guard of honour during an official welcoming ceremony at the government banquet hall in Helsinki, on October 15, 2014. (AFP photo)
Niinisto also expressed great enthusiasm for the Modi government's "Make in India" policy, in the backdrop of around 130 Finnish companies already operating in India and their acknowledged strength in R&D, innovation and green technology.
India also hosts one of the five global centers or FinNodes for innovation run by Finland, which has witnessed a downswing in ties with its traditional economic partner Russia after the Ukrainian conflict. Officials said Finland was looking at "commercializing and marketing" the 39 joint R&D projects it was already running with India, including a new diagnostic test in biotechnology.
Mukherjee, in turn, said India wanted to learn from Finland's "tremendous advances" in infrastructure development, clean energy, ship-building, manufacturing, biotechnology, healthcare and services.
President Pranab Mukherjee (right) meets with Finland's Prime Minister Alexander Stubb in Helsinki, on October 15, 2014. (AP photo)
"India invites investors and entrepreneurs from Finland to look at our infrastructure sector and join hands with Indian counterparts in the new government's Make-in-India initiative," he said.
There is also convergence of views between India and Finland in several important areas ranging from terrorism and Afghanistan to the need to handle exploration of resources in the Arctic region in a sustainable manner.
"President Mukherjee's stress on how the exploitation of Arctic resources should not be allowed to create environmental problems like the industrial revolution did was much appreciated by the Finnish government," said an official.
Finland bats for India’s UN security council, NSG bid - The Times of India
