Like-minded countries can collaborate in Covid-19 vaccine development and other areas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a virtual meeting with his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen on Monday.
Updating the Danish PM on India’s work with Japan and Australia towards supply-chain diversification and resilience, Modi added that other countries too could join this effort.
Bilateral ties
The two leaders agreed to elevate India-Denmark relationship to a Green Strategic Partnership to promote cooperation in renewable energy, environment protection, circular economy, water and waste management and tackling air pollution, said Neeta Bhushan, Joint Secretary, MEA, in a press briefing after the India-Denmark virtual bilateral summit.
“PM Modi proposed setting up of India-Denmark energy parks in areas where there are large number of Danish companies. He also proposed setting up of India-Denmark skill institute so that Danish companies will be able to get skilled manpower as per their requirement,” she said.
In his opening remarks, Modi said that the events of the past few months had made it clear that it was important for like-minded nations, like India and Denmark, which are rules-based, transparent, humanitarian and have democratic value systems, to work together.
India’s strength
“In the area of vaccine development (for Covid-19), too, collaboration will help deal with the pandemic. During the on-going pandemic, India’s pharmaceutical production capabilities have been useful for the entire world. We are making the same efforts in the area of vaccines as well,” Modi said.
The pandemic has shown that excess dependency of the global supply chain on a single source is risky, the PM said, adding that India was working with Japan and Australia towards supply-chain diversification and resilience and other like-minded countries could join the effort.
“An MOU in the field of intellectual property cooperation between India and Denmark is also being signed on the occasion. Another major outcome will be the joining of International Solar Alliance (ISA) by Denmark,” said an official release of the Ministry of External Affairs.
Bilateral trade in goods and services between India and Denmark has grown by 30.49 per cent, from $2.82 billion in 2016 to $3.68 billion in 2019, the release added. Around 200 Danish companies have invested in India in diverse sectors. Around 25 Indian companies are present in Denmark in IT, renewable energy and engineering.