Finland President Stubb concludes India visit, ties elevated to strategic partnership
Finnish President Alexander Stubb concluded his official visit to India on Sunday, marking a new phase in bilateral relations between the two countries.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the visit marked a “defining moment” in India–Finland relations as the partnership was elevated to a “Strategic Partnership in Digitalisation and Sustainability.”
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal shared details of the visit’s conclusion in a post on X, noting that the upgraded partnership is expected to give fresh momentum to cooperation between the two countries.
President Stubb was seen off at the airport by Union Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani.
Stubb had arrived in India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and served as the Chief Guest and keynote speaker at the 11th Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi.
During the visit, the Finnish President held talks with Prime Minister Modi focusing on strengthening bilateral ties and discussing regional and global issues of mutual interest.
The two sides also exchanged views on cooperation in multilateral forums and discussed ways to expand economic collaboration and people-to-people connections.
Prime Minister Modi hosted a luncheon in honour of President Stubb during the visit.
The Finnish President also met President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, while External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a separate meeting with the visiting leader.
Following his engagements in the national capital, Stubb travelled to Mumbai, where he met the Governor and Chief Minister of Maharashtra, interacted with business leaders, and addressed students at the University of Mumbai.
This was President Stubb’s first visit to India in his current role.
India and Finland share a longstanding partnership rooted in democratic values, with Finland seen as an important partner for India within the European Union and the Nordic region.
The visit also followed the recent trip of Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo to India for the AI Impact Summit in February, signalling both countries’ commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation. (ANI)
