The India-Nordic Summit is a high-level diplomatic meeting (concept/act) that brings together the Prime Minister of India and the Prime Ministers of the five Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. This format is a rare and exclusive multilateral engagement, with only the United States holding an equivalent summit with the Nordic-5.
The concept originated with the First India-Nordic Summit, which was co-hosted by India and Sweden in Stockholm on April 17, 2018. It was created to establish a dedicated platform for deepening cooperation and leveraging the Nordic countries' global leadership in innovation, sustainability, and clean technologies. The initial focus was on "Shared Values, Mutual Prosperity," addressing issues like global security, economic growth, innovation, and climate change.
The summit functions as a mechanism for the six heads of government to meet periodically, with the Second Summit held in Copenhagen on May 4, 2022, and the Third Summit in Oslo on May 19, 2026. Key areas of cooperation include technology and innovation, green transition, renewable energy, the blue economy, digitalization, and adherence to a rules-based international order.
The summit connects to broader frameworks like the India-EU Strategic Partnership and the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), which entered into force in October 2025. It also links to India's strategic interests in the Arctic, where India holds observer status in the Arctic Council and released its own Arctic policy in March 2022.
The partnership has matured from a limited diplomatic engagement to a multidimensional strategic partnership. While the core focus on innovation and sustainability remains, the scope has expanded to include a greater strategic dimension in areas like defence, space, and the Arctic. The recent entry into force of the India-EFTA TEPA provides a new economic foundation, with the summits now imparting political weight to this economic momentum.