Prime Minister Sipilä met India's Prime Minister Modi in Mumbai
Prime Minister Sipilä met India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mumbai, India. Mr Sipilä and Mr Modi held bilateral discussions today, Saturday 13 February.
The main focus of the Prime Ministers' discussions was on the relations between Finland and India and on economic cooperation. Opportunities for cooperation exist in, for instance, solar energy and other renewable energy sources, sustainable development of cities, circular economy, education, and information technology. The Prime Ministers also discussed Finnish companies' opportunities of concrete business activities in India.
– We had excellent discussions with Prime Minister Modi. We noted that the economic relations between our countries offer many opportunities that can benefit both Finnish and Indian companies. The Government of India has clearly recognised the possibilities and challenges that the country has and is actively seeking international partners to tackle them, Prime Minister Sipilä said.
The agenda of the official discussions also included the relations between the EU and India, the reform of the UN Security Council, regional questions in Asia, and Russia and Ukraine. After the meeting, Finland and India issued a joint statement on the key topics of the Prime Minister's visit. Prime Minister Sipilä extended an invitation to Prime Minister Modi to visit Finland.
Prime Minister Sipilä was accompanied by a business delegation representing 17 Finnish companies and organisations. During the visit, Sipilä and his business delegation also met the Chief Ministers of the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra and top leadership of large Indian companies. He will also meet, among others, the Minister of Finance of India and the Minister of Commerce and Industry during his stay in India.
The business delegation includes representatives of energy and environmental technology, information technology, healthcare and welfare services, and education. Prime Minister Sipilä and the business delegation also participated in the large Make in India event.
The visit will carry through until Sunday, 14 February.
Inquiries: Anna-Kaisa Heikkinen, Special Adviser (International Affairs), tel. +358 40 748 3867, Mari-Kaisa Brander, Head of Communications (Team Finland), tel. +358 40 131 3388, Prime Minister's Office, and Sanna Halinen, Desk Officer (India), tel. +358 295 350 562, Ministry for Foreign Affairs