New Delhi and Copenhagen are considering expanding their bilateral partnership with the goal of strengthening cooperation on strategic issues such as maritime security, advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, and defense, officials said.
Cooperation in the Arctic region, which is becoming increasingly important to India, is also likely to be a key point of discussion. Historically, India and Denmark have mainly cooperated on green energy and sustainable development.
“We must strengthen our ties with the world’s democracies. This will be achieved, inter alia, through strategic partnerships with Indo-Pacific countries.” It was stated in the policy.
Questions sent to the foreign ministries of India and Denmark went unanswered at the time of writing.
Relations between India and Denmark have so far focused on renewable energy and clean technology. In 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen upgraded their relationship to a Green Strategic Partnership. The partnership has focused on building capacity in areas such as offshore wind, integrated renewable power, energy planning, wastewater management, and water quality improvement.
In 2020, the two countries recognized deep maritime cooperation and identified areas for strengthening, including shipbuilding, maritime services, green transportation, and port development.
Future talks are also expected to take up maritime security in the Indo-Pacific.
In defense, the focus is likely to be on precision parts and equipment. India’s interest in the Arctic region, which is rich in natural resources such as oil, natural gas, copper, zinc, and rare earths, is particularly pronounced. India is seeking a partnership with Denmark, particularly regarding rare earth deposits in Greenland.
Another area of interest for India is the development of the Arctic trade route through the North Pole, seen as a shorter alternative to the Suez Canal for trade between Europe and Asia. Shrinking ice cover due to climate change is facilitating this new trade route, along with opportunities for polar research and scientific research.
Since 2013, India has been an observer of the Arctic Council, which was established in 1998 to foster cooperation among countries with interests in the Arctic.
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