President Invites Norwegian Investment In India's Infrastructure

He said India appreciated Norway’s endorsement of “India’s rightful claim to Permanent Membership of the United Nations Security Council” and “for your proactive efforts that helped India achieve Observer status in the Arctic Council”.

The Arctic Council is becoming strategically very important as major nations jostle for a toehold there because of its latent reservoirs of oil and gas and because the Arctic Ocean could open in the foreseeable future to an alternate international navigational route because of the melting of the polar icecaps due to global warming.

“Our bilateral co-operation has been no less fruitful. We have a very rewarding partnership in oil exploration and scientific research and are both keen to expand the scope of our collaborative efforts in earth sciences, bio-technology, clean energy, fishing and healthcare.

“I would like to thank the government of Norway for the assistance and support extended to India in establishing our Polar Research Station in Svalbard,” he said.

India attaches great importance to its long standing friendship with Norway, the President said, underlining that “though our two nations are geographically distant from each other, we are bound by our common commitment to democratic values and practice and are both open, pluralistic societies”.

Several bilateral agreements are scheduled to be signed on Tuesday before the President leaves on the second leg of his North Europe trip to Finland where he is scheduled to cross the Arctic Circle.

Also Read:
Aircel-Maxis Case: Court Reserves Order On CBI's Chargesheet
5 Brands That Focus On Social Concerns