In Oslo, Mr. Modi held bilateral talks with Mr. Orpo again, and then engaged with him at the Nordic-India summit this week.
Later this year, sources say, the Prime Minister is expected to make another trip, to Brussels, for the signing of the India-EU FTA.
Speaking to The Hindu on the sidelines of the Nordic-India summit, Mr. Orpo said Finland hopes the India-EU FTA is ratified by all 27 countries, and is signed at the earliest.
He also said that Finland, one of the last European countries to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 2023, is still keen that Mr. Modi plays a role in ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Excerpts from the interview:
India’s engagement with European countries has been particularly close with Finland’s leadership this year as Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted Finnish PM Petteri Orpo during the Artificial Intelligence Summit, and President Alexander Stubb was the chief guest at the Ministry of External Affairs’ signature event, the Raisina Dialogue, in March in Delhi. In Oslo, Mr. Modi held bilateral talks with Mr. Orpo again, and then engaged with him at the Nordic-India summit this week. Mr. Modi, who has been intensifying his meetings with European leaders in Delhi, returned from a four-nation tour to the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Italy on Thursday (May 21, 2026), and will return to Europe in June for the G-7 Summit, and a visit to Nice in France, as well as a bilateral visit to Slovakia. Later this year, sources say, the Prime Minister is expected to make another trip, to Brussels, for the signing of the India-EU FTA. Speaking to The Hindu on the sidelines of the Nordic-India summit, Mr. Orpo said Finland hopes the India-EU FTA is ratified by all 27 countries, and is signed at the earliest. He also said that Finland, one of the last European countries to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 2023, is still keen that Mr. Modi plays a role in ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Excerpts from the interview:
