India, Finland for joint development of technologies

HELSINKI: India and Finland have decided to enhance the "scope and level" of their bilateral ties, including in the field of development of technologies.

The two countries agreed to initiate joint development of technologies under an Agreement on Cooperation in Science and Technologies, as Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma's concluded a three-day visit to the Nordic country.

Sharma, during his tour, called on Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen and Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Stubb. During discussions, both sides expressed satisfaction over the growing "content and substance" of the Indo-Finnish bilateral relations.

Sharma discussed issues of bilateral importance with Finnish interlocutors. The visit is tipped to strengthen the growing ties as both the sides expressed desire to further enhance the "scope and level" of cooperation.

The Minister called on Speaker of the Finnish Parliament Sauli Niinisto, Chairman of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee Pertti Salolainen and State Secretary for Political Affairs in the Foreign Ministry, Teija Tiilikainen.

The visit has followed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Helsinki in October 2006 and visits by his Finnish counterpart to India in 2006 and 2008. Finnish President Tarja Halonen had toured India in January 2007.

Bilateral trade valued at 645.08 million Euro in 2007 has shot up by 31.54 per cent over the previous year. Two-way investments are on the rise with representation of major Indian companies in Finland and over 80 Finnish companies operating here.