Finland for better trade ties with India

NEW DELHI: Finland is looking towards strengthening trade and investments with India in clean technology, healthcare and design and is likely to hold discussions on WTO and world trade, road network and investment climate in India.

Finnish Foreign Trade Minister Alexander Stubb, who is presently in India with a high powered delegation of around 30 Finnish companies, will meet Minister of Commerce and Industries Anand Sharma and others to promote exports and internationalisation of Finnish companies.

"My counterpart is Anand Sharma and we will be probably discussing WTO and world trade. If I get a chance to meet the Minister of Finance, we will probably talk about investment climate in India - what is working and what it not. Also with the Minister of Transport ... we have a few Finish companies and will discuss road network ... so a broad range of issues," Stubb told PTI.

Talking about his visit to India, he said it was a broad visit. "We are approximately 20 Finnish companies from clean tech, design, healthcare and traditional metal and mining sector," he said.

Asked about decline in exports between the two countries, Stubb said cost of raw materials is probably a reason and in the Indian context, the cost of gold is an example.

"It is quite normal that you get a shift in trade balance. However, having said that we should remember most companies have a global value chains nowadays. A Nokia phone is not a commodity which is sold from Finland nor is it a commodity sold in India or somewhere else. It is value added in many different countries around the world," he said inaugurating a five-day design by a Finnish organisation TikauShare.

He maintained that clean tech is basically for environment and for him it is use of clean technology and clean use of natural resources and there are 26 Finish companies working in the clean technology sector in India.

Stubb is accompanied by representatives from energy and environmental technology, mining, metals and construction industry, information technology, health and well-being services and financing.

The purpose of the visit is to strengthen the image of Finland as a country with a high level of competence and an attractive target for investments, as well as to promote business opportunities of Finnish companies in India.