NEW DELHI, India, Feb. 19 (ANI) — Petteri Orpo said Thursday that he and Narendra Modi agreed to double trade between India and Finland, emphasizing the vast potential for expanded cooperation in technology, sustainability, and digital innovation.
Speaking on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit 2026, Orpo described his meeting with Modi as “very good and fruitful,” noting that both leaders focused on strengthening bilateral ties and exploring opportunities to deepen collaboration across multiple sectors.
“The meeting was very good and fruitful. I am very satisfied with the meeting and the results. We discussed bilateral relations between India and Finland, which are in very good shape,” Orpo said. “We can even deepen cooperation, for example, in trade. Now that we have a trade deal between India and the European Union, we have huge potential to increase our trade. We actually decided to double the trade between India and Finland.”
He added that both nations possess strong technological capabilities and share common interests in digitalization and sustainability.
“Both countries have high technology, and we are into digitalisation and sustainability. Finland has many companies that are among the best in the world in these fields,” Orpo said.
Highlighting India’s rapid economic growth, Orpo noted that Finnish companies have significant expertise to contribute across various industries and that cooperation would deliver mutual benefits.
“I see huge potential because we have very good companies in Finland, and we have so much to offer India. India is growing very fast. Its economy is growing very fast. There is so much space for cooperation,” he said.
Orpo also underscored the transformative potential of artificial intelligence, noting its benefits across public and private sectors.
“AI can benefit all sectors, both public and private, and it can benefit citizens and companies alike,” he said.
Commenting on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Orpo expressed concern about the ongoing war and called for stronger international efforts to achieve peace.
“Ukraine is an independent neighbor of Russia, and so is Finland. That is why it is worrying, and we want to stop the war and killings. All of us, including India, should put more pressure on Russia, not support Russia, and help Ukraine. We need trust and lasting peace in Ukraine,” he said.
Orpo also praised India for hosting the summit, describing it as an important platform for countries of the Global South to collaborate on technology and artificial intelligence governance.
Earlier, Modi said in a post on X that he held extensive discussions with Orpo and thanked him for his support for the conclusion of the India–European Union Free Trade Agreement.
“India and Finland aim to double trade, thus giving a strong boost to economic linkages. We also talked about enhancing cooperation in futuristic technologies like 6G, innovation, clean energy, biofuels, circular economy, and more,” Modi said. (ANI)
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