Bilateral relations between India and Denmark are marked by regular high-level exchanges

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a Virtual Bilateral Summit with Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Monday to further strengthen ties between the countries.

The summit is being hosted by India close on the heels of Prime Minister Modi holding a virtual bilateral summit with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakasa on Saturday.

An MOU in the field of intellectual property cooperation between India and Denmark is being signed on the occasion, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement announcing the summit. Another major outcome will be Denmark joining the International Solar Alliance (ISA).

Bilateral relations between India and Denmark are marked by regular high-level exchanges and are based on historical links, common democratic traditions and shared desire for regional, as well as international peace and stability, the statement said.

It noted that bilateral trade in goods and services between India and Denmark had grown by 30.49%, from US$ 2.82 billion in 2016 to US$ 3.68 billion in 2019. Giving details of investments, the ministry said that 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. Nearly 25 Indian companies are present in Denmark in the IT, renewable energy and engineering sectors.

According to the ministry, the summit will give an opportunity to the two leaders “to comprehensively review the broad framework of the bilateral relationship in the context of the time-tested friendly ties between the two countries and give broad political direction for a strengthened and deepened collaborative partnership on key issues of mutual interest”.