This will enable the movement of professionals, academics, businesspeople, and students

India and Finland have signed a Joint Declaration of Intent on Migration and Mobility to reach a mutually advantageous agreement on migration and mobility between the two nations.

The declaration was signed on Tuesday by Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan and Finland's Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen.

The declaration underlines the resolve of both countries to work jointly towards developing a common framework of arrangement and cooperation to facilitate mobility of students, academics, researchers, business people & professionals and to combat irregular migration, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

India and Finland share cordial and friendly ties based on ideals of democracy, freedom, the rule of law, and respect for human rights.

"The interactions held on 04 May 2022 on the margins of 2nd India-Nordic Summit and Virtual Summit held on 16 March 2021 between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Sanna Marin has added a strong momentum to our bilateral relations," the MEA said.

The joint declaration was signed in the presence of Finnish Ambassador to India Ritva Koukku-Ronde as well as other top representatives from the governments of Finland and India.

Finnish Minister Tuula Haatainen is on a six-day visit to India. According to the official press release from the Finnish government, she will be in India from December 12 to December 17 and will visit Delhi and Mumbai. She will also attend the IIT Bombay Techfest, a significant gathering that is anticipated to draw some 200,000 people.