00:00Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Norway on Monday on the fourth leg of his five-nation tour,
00:06marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Nordic country in more than four decades.
00:12The visit forms part of Prime Minister's broader diplomatic outreach across the UAE, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy.
00:20It is aimed at strengthening India's global partnerships amid growing geopolitical uncertainty and economic realignments.
00:32You can see here on your screen, viewers, the Prime Minister is being greeted by persons of Indian origin in
00:40Norway.
00:40He is being greeted in a very traditional Indian manner with the Indian diaspora dressed in their traditional finery,
00:52dressed in the outfits of various states of India, welcoming the Prime Minister.
01:00In Norway, Pranay Upadhyaya is joining me on the phone line.
01:04Pranay, the visuals are very heartening.
01:08It seems that there is quite a sizable Indian diaspora in Norway as well.
01:12And this is a historic visit because there has been no visit by an Indian Prime Minister for almost 40
01:18years.
01:19What more do we know about this visit?
01:21How important is this with regard to India's changing geopolitical equations?
01:30Absolutely right, Anisha.
01:31This is a very significant, very important visit being greeted by Prime Minister Mare Fodhi to Norway.
01:37And it has, you know, two specific importance.
01:41One, it is the first bilateral visit of any Indian Prime Minister in the last 43 years.
01:45First ever by any Indian Prime Minister.
01:48And, in fact, this is also coinciding with the India-Nordic summit because the third India-Nordic summit is being
01:55hosted by Norway and which will be held tomorrow.
01:59And Prime Minister Mare Fodhi has just now, in the Nordic region, he has completed his Sweden's leg office visit.
02:06And now he is in Norway.
02:07He is warmly being received by the Indian community there.
02:11And you can very well understand that, you know, why the Indian community is so overwhelmed with his presence because
02:17this is the visit of a first Indian Prime Minister for the last 43 years.
02:21First Indian Prime Minister is in Oslo.
02:24And it signifies the importance of any such diplomatic engagement between India and Norway.
02:33And this is also, it has its own economic importance because after the trade and, you know, trade and economic
02:40partnership agreement between India and Europe, you know, this is the first visit which is being taken by the Prime
02:50Minister of India.
02:51And Pranay, if you can hear me, you mentioned that there is going to be a Nordic summit starting from
02:57tomorrow.
02:57This is a very significant visit when it comes to economic equations.
03:01Can you tell us a little more about what is in the cards really?
03:04What are we expecting from this visit?
03:07And what are we, what are our takeaways from the Sweden visit?
03:12Both in Sweden and Norway are part of Nordic region of Europe.
03:17These countries have their own particular identity and also have a special relationship, special bond with India in terms of
03:25the propagation of green technology,
03:27the green technology, the technical advancement.
03:30Sweden is a unique place which has a large number of Indian companies as well and also which contributes almost
03:373% of its GDP into research and development.
03:41And they are, they are also investing in India.
03:44In fact, India is also looking at expanding the investment from the, from Norwegian region because Norway has one of
03:53the largest pension funds available with them and India is trying to attract that pension funds to invest more in
03:59India.
03:59And there are around 150 Indian companies in the Nordic region.
04:05Over 700 Nordic companies, Nordic region companies are present in India.
04:10And India, EU, FTA is also one of the important milestones between India and the European region.
04:18Especially this Nordic region between, are between India, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, all these countries.
04:25Pranay, I'm going to ask you to stay on with me.
04:28There is a cultural programme being organised in Norway to welcome the Prime Minister.
04:33Let's listen in.
04:33The Prime MinisterWAN program is featured on Wednesday national campaign.
04:54Getаюсь, Grazie, Grazie, Grazie, Grazie, Grazie, Grazie, Grazie, Grazie, Grazie!
05:25All right, there we saw the cultural program,
05:28the mix of Western and Indian music.
05:32Pranayapadhyay is still with me.
05:33Thank you very much, Pranayapadhyay, for joining us on this.
05:36And he will be keeping an eye on the summit that is expected tomorrow
05:41and the Prime Minister's detailed visit.
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