India upholding international laws important for small nation like Norway: Envoy

Norway sees India as a key partner for upholding international law and norms as part of a rules-based order for sea lanes of communication and sea-based trade, Norwegian ambassador Nils Ragnar Kamsvåg said on Friday.

Speaking ahead of the first visit to India by a Norwegian premier in a decade, Kamsvag said there is considerable potential for boosting bilateral trade from the current level of $1.2 billion. India could particularly benefit from Norway’s development of environment-friendly technologies in transport, construction and waste recycling, he said.

“For a small country like Norway, which is very much dependent on trade and has the fifth biggest merchant fleet, we are very much dependent on international law and norms being upheld. From that point of view, India is a very important cooperation partner,” Kamsvåg said.

He noted India had accepted its loss in a maritime dispute with Bangladesh after taking the matter to the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague in 2014.

“That is a very important signal for us as a small nation, to have big countries that actively promote the value of international law and respect for those laws,” he added.

Norway is yet to take a stand on the Indo-Pacific but it had noted that one of the key elements of India’s policies is promoting global law on freedom of navigation. “This is very valuable because it facilitates international trade. These are views we share,” he said.

Norway Prime Minister Erna Solberg will make an official visit to India during January 7-9, accompanied by a 140-member business delegation. Trade cooperation, sustainable use of the oceans and the Sustainable Development Goals will be high on the agenda.

Besides holding talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Solberg will address a business summit, open the new “green embassy compound” and visit a local community to focus on education for young girls. She will also deliver the inaugural address at the Raisina Dialogue.

Kamsvåg said Norway had adopted a revised strategy for India in December and is looking at boosting cooperation in areas such as electric-powered cars and ferries, green construction and waste recycling, and road transport minister Nitin Gadkari had “big interest” in these technologies.

“Norway can serve as a lab for environment-friendly technologies that can have a use in India, where they can be scaled up. When populous and huge countries use such technology, they have a global impact. We fit very well together and India is a big market,” he said.

The political goals of the two sides, especially on SDGs and the Paris Agreement, are common and “much of the technology and experience we have gained in Norway can help India realise its ambitions”, he added.

First Published: Jan 04, 2019 18:49 IST