India-Denmark elevate bilateral ties to a Green Strategic Partnership

A move that will help two countries in their expansion of economic relations, attaining their green goals, and strengthen cooperation aims to address the plethora of global challenges with a focus on the implementation of the climate change goals. Prime Minister Modi of India and PM Mette Frederikson of Denmark, have agreed to cooperate and together combat COVID19 and any future pandemics, including the development of their respective vaccine. 

The foundation for a bilateral relationship between India and Denmark was laid in 1957, characterised as cordial and friendly, based on synergies in political, economic, academic and research fields. Recently, India has for the first time elevated the status of this bilateral relationship to a Green Strategic Partnership with a desire to enhance cooperation in the specific areas of water supply, water distribution, wastewater management, water management and energy optimisation in the water sector.

What is a Green Strategic Partnership?

The Green Strategic Partnership is a mutually beneficial arrangement to advance political cooperation, expand economic relations and green growth, create jobs and strengthen cooperation on addressing global challenges and opportunities with a focus on ambitious implementation of the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

It envisaged cooperation within the political field, economic and commercial field, education, and culture, RE, Urban development, Environment, Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Food Processing, Science, Technology and Innovation, Shipping, Labour Mobility and Digitalisation.

India-Denmark Green Strategic Partnership

During this virtual meeting, PM Modi proposed setting up of India-Denmark green energy park in areas where there are large numbers of Danish companies. He also proposed setting up of India Denmark Skill Institute so that the Danish companies will be able to get skilled manpower as per their requirement. The heads of states discussed various aspects of the economic growth and development of the two nations. The discussions included the following:

1. Energy & Climate Change– PM Modi and PM Mette Frederikson discussed the global challenges and solutions on green energy transition and climate change. Talking about the Strategic Sector Cooperation on offshore wind and renewable energy, as well as the India-Denmark Energy Partnership (INDEP) on capacity building, knowledge-sharing and technology transfer on wind energy, the two nations expect the partnership to strengthen the global fight against climate change, thereby contributing to the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
2. Environment/Water and Circular Economy: Expanding and strengthening the existing government-to-government cooperation on environment/water and circular economy, the heads of state aim to enhance cooperation in the specific areas of water supply, water distribution, wastewater treatment, sewerage systems, re-use of treated wastewater, water management and energy optimisation in the water sector through the Indo-Danish Water Technology Alliance.
3. Sustainable Urban Development including Smart Cities: The two countries together aim at strengthening bilateral cooperation in sustainable urban development, including smart cities. 

The Green Strategic Partnership is a mutually beneficial arrangement between countries with a focus on the implementation of the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

1. Business, Trade and Shipping: India and Denmark together identified the importance of regulatory framework conditions to support public and private investments in green energy. There is immense potential enhancing ship building and design, maritime services, Green shipping as well as port development. 
2. Science, Technology, Innovation and Digitisation: To accelerate technology development and the implementation of new solutions, both nations seek to promote and facilitate investments in science, technology, and innovation (STI) via strong public-private partnerships.
3. Food and Agriculture: The two Prime Ministers encouraged fostering deeper ties between stakeholders, and research institutions in the sectors of food processing and food safety, as well as animal husbandry and dairying.
4. Health and Life Science: Both sides expressed their common desire to strengthen dialogue and cooperation in the health sector. This would include sharing practices on health policy issues, including on epidemics and vaccines, especially to combat the current COVID-19 and future pandemics.
5. Cultural Cooperation, People-to-People contacts and Labour Mobility: Cultural cooperation is the key between strengthening relationship between the two nations. Facilitating ease of travel between the two countries will bring up various opportunities and possibilities of labour mobility.
6. Multilateral Cooperation: To combat the global challenges regarding energy and climate change the two nations support the need for an open, inclusive and rule based multilateral trading system under the WTO at its core to promote global growth and sustainable development.

Conclusion

India and Denmark believe that this Green Strategic Partnership has amplified the already existing cordial and cooperative relations between them. It will be a beacon to help face global challenges together and strengthen cooperation with a focus on the implementation of the Paris Agreement. Further goals and actions will be identified and outlined in an Action Plan that shall be worked out and endorsed imminently.