INDIA-DENMARK RELATIONS

1. Context

2. Diplomatic Relations

• India and Denmark's relations established in September 1949, are marked by regular high-level exchanges and are based on historical links, common democratic traditions and a shared desire for regional, as well as international peace and stability.
• Bilateral relations were elevated to the level of "Green Strategic Partnership" during the Virtual Summit held on 28 September 2020.
• The current development of renewed India-Denmark relations has been guided by the "Green Strategic Partnership".

3. Recent High-Level Interactions

• In January 2019, the then-Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen visited India for the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit-2019.
• Indian Prime Minister Modi met Rasmussen at the India-Nordic Summit in Stockholm on 17 April 2018.
• The bilateral high-level interactions include the 4th Joint Commission Meeting, The 9th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM9) held in Copenhagen and the World Food Summit.

4. Bilateral Institutional Mechanisms

• There are several bilateral institutional mechanisms at different levels between India and Denmark.
• The Joint Commission Meeting at the Foreign Minister's level (established in 2008) and the Foreign Office Consultations at Secretary-level (established in 1995) provide the broad framework for bilateral consultations encompassing all areas of mutual interest.
• So far, four meetings of the Joint Commission have been held.
• The latest meeting was held in Copenhagen in September 2021 during which both sides reviewed the progress made since the launch of the Green Strategic Partnership.
• Foreign Office Consultations have been held six times since 1995.

1. Renewable Energy
2. Shipping and Ports
3. Agriculture and Animal Husbandry
4. Food Processing
5. Science and Technology
6. Labour Mobility
7. Environment
8. Smart Cities
9. Digitisation
10. Energy Cooperation and
11. Health and Medicine 

5. Commercial and Economic Relations

• Bilateral trade in goods and services between India and Denmark has grown by 78 per cent from USD 2.8 billion in 2016 to USD 5 billion in 2021.
• As per Denmark Statistics, the total volume of bilateral trade in goods and services between India and Denmark rose to around USD 5 billion as compared to USD 3.6 billion in 2020.
• Indian exports reached USD 2 billion in 2021 as compared to USD 1.8 billion in 2020, while imports amounted to around USD 3 billion as against USD 1.8 billion in 2020.

6. Bilateral trade

• The major export items from India to Denmark are textiles, apparel and yarns related, vehicles and components, metal goods, iron and steel, footwear and travel goods.
• Major Danish exports to India are medicinal/ Pharmaceutical goods, power generating machinery, industrial machinery, metal waste and ore and organic chemicals.
• Bilateral trade in services between India and Denmark was USD 2.3 billion in 2020 (import to India in services amounting to USD 1.3 billion and export in the service sector by India valued at USD 1 billion.
• As per Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPPIIT), the value of total direct investment inflows from Denmark to India from April 2000-March 2021 was USD 677.02 million.
• Around 200 Danish companies have invested in India in sectors such as Shipping, renewable energy, environment, agriculture, food processing and smart urban development.
• Several major Danish companies have built a new manufacturing factory under the Make in India Scheme.

6.1. India's Investment in Denmark

• As per the information available from Invest in Denmark, the total value of Indian investments in Denmark, as of June 2021, was about USD 450 million.
• Around 25 Indian companies are present in Denmark in various sectors, including IT, renewable energy and engineering.
• They are providing multiple IT solutions, projects consultancy and outsourcing services for the Danish Services Sector.

7.  Cultural Cooperation

• The Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, to commemorate 75 years of India’s Independence is being celebrated with much fervour in Copenhagen with events.
• India's 75th Independence Day was celebrated in Copenhagen with a great enthusiasm with a flag hoisting ceremony and vibrant Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations, attended by a large number of the diaspora.
• The International Day of Yoga is celebrated every year by the Embassy across Denmark with the active participation of several organisations like Art of Living, Brahma Kumaris and the Danish Sports Yoga Federation.
• A curtain raiser flash mob was also organized by the Embassy at the iconic Nyhavn venue in Copenhagen on 13th June 2021.
• As part of the 150th Birth Anniversary Celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi, the Embassy organised various events including talks on Gandhiji and tree-planting ceremonies at more
  than 20 educational institutions.

8. Indian Diaspora / People-to-People Contacts

• The size of the Indian community in Denmark, inclusive of both NRIs (13,370) and PIOs, (2,750) is approx16,500.
• These include IT professionals, doctors and engineers. Important streets and public places have been named after Indian leaders.