Beyond the European Union’s formal framework, member states often organise themselves into sub-regional groupings, shaped by shared history and geography—the Nordic bloc is a prominent example. Since the first India–Nordic Summit in 2018, ties have deepened, but many opportunities remain underexplored.
Traditional sectors such as IT and pharmaceuticals continue to dominate, overshadowing areas like the blue economy, shipbuilding, maritime safety, fisheries, health and education—sectors that align closely with Nordic expertise and India’s geographic, demographic and economic realities.
Long coastlines, ports, fishing communities and maritime heritage are common to the Nordic countries—Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland—and the south Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Both regions are working to build innovative, export-oriented economies by focusing on the development of rich human capital. All these make them natural partners for collaboration.
BLUE ECONOMY
For India, with nearly 11,000km of coastline, harnessing the blue economy is both an economic essentiality and a geopolitical necessity. On both counts, the Nordic countries have deep experience in creating human resources that can sustainably and safely capitalise on the marine sector through continuous innovation.
As India seeks to become a pivotal player in the blue economy, Nordic partnerships can assist in creating strong ecosystems. For example, Denmark’s marine spatial planning system, which integrates most of these elements into a single digital framework, reduces regulatory uncertainty and accelerates investment. Similar models could guide coastal states in improving coordination, cutting delays and enhancing regulatory clarity.
MARITIME SAFETY AND SEAMANSHIP
Nordic countries lead in training, safety standards, vessel design and rescue systems, while south India—home to major ports and a large seafaring workforce—needs stronger frameworks. Integrating Nordic safety technologies and training standards into initiatives such as Sagarmala and the PM Matsya Sampada Yojana would improve safety outcomes while professionalising India’s maritime workforce and boosting the global employability of Indian seafarers. Further collaboration could include joint academies, advanced navigation and emergency protocols, leading to downstream benefits for trade, insurance and port efficiency.
SUSTAINABLE FISHING AND ENERGY
Fishing supports millions of livelihoods across south India but faces increasing pressure from overfishing, climate change, safety risks and declining stocks. Nordic countries have successfully shifted to science-based, regulated and technology-driven fisheries. Cooperation on stock monitoring, low-impact gear, cold-chain value addition and export traceability using AI could improve safety, incomes and access to EU markets, while creating scalable opportunities for Nordic technology exports and long-term maritime partnerships.
India’s first national geothermal energy policy opens new avenues for collaboration with Iceland, a global leader in geothermal technologies. Joint R&D in the Himalayan and Deccan regions could combine Indian scale with Icelandic expertise in an area aligned with Iceland’s innovation and Nordic cooperation agenda.
EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Nordic education systems consistently rank among the world’s best, marked by high public investment, equity of access and strong learning outcomes. Their strength lies in a two-fold approach: first, an emphasis on critical thinking, vocational excellence and applied research, with learning prioritised over rote performance or grades; and second, a holistic focus on the physical and psychological well-being of students, recognising that educational excellence is inseparable from overall human development.
With south India already possessing a strong educational infrastructure that produces a large pool of engineers, technicians and skilled workers, the Nordic education model can add significant value. Key opportunities include joint degree programmes in maritime studies, ocean sciences and sustainability; vocational training in shipbuilding, logistics, fisheries and port operations; research collaboration between Nordic universities and south Indian institutions; and digital learning platforms tailored to coastal and rural communities.
A ROLE FOR SUBNATIONAL DIPLOMACY
One important takeaway from the EU–India Summit is the rising importance of subnational diplomacy. South Indian states increasingly engage directly with foreign partners, and Nordic countries—accustomed to decentralised governance—are well positioned to engage at the state and city level rather than only through national governments. State-to-state MoUs, port-to-port cooperation and university-to-university partnerships can often move faster and produce more tangible outcomes than top-down agreements.
LOOKING AHEAD
Effective collaboration requires platforms that make idea-sharing and innovation ecosystems visible and accessible to both Indian and Nordic stakeholders. One such initiative, now in its third edition, is the Sweden–India Innovation Bridge programme, conceived by Robin Sukhia, secretary general of the Swedish India Business Council.
It connects CEOs, founders, investors and academics from Sweden and India, showcasing India’s strengths in R&D, AI and global capability centres. Through deeper engagement with India’s innovation ecosystem, it enhances the agility, scalability and cost-efficiency of Swedish companies.
As EU–India relations mature, the next phase of engagement must go beyond headline sectors and large corporations. The Nordic–south Indian partnership has the potential to demonstrate how sustainability, safety, education and inclusive growth can be integrated into economic cooperation.
Mehta and Uniyal serve as adviser and general secretary, respectively, of the Nordic Council of Indian Diaspora.