President of Finland Alexander Stubb arrived in New Delhi on Thursday on a state visit at the invitation of Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi. President Stubb was accorded a ceremonial welcome and a Guard of Honour at the airport. The Finnish PM is also the Chief Guest of the Raisina Dialogue 2026.
President Stubb, who landed in India this morning, held talks with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, where the two leaders discussed the current geopolitical situation. “We discussed the current security political landscape, including the Middle East and Russia’s war in Ukraine, transatlantic relations and the EU-India relations. Our shared view is that strengthening the EU-India partnership is a strategic choice that extends to many areas. Finland is ready to work on rapid implementation,” said Stubb.
Welcoming President Stubb, Prime Minister Modi said, “Welcome to India, President Alexander Stubb. I fully agree with you, your visit will take India-Finland relations to new heights. I eagerly look forward to our meeting tomorrow and to your keynote address at the Raisina Dialogue 2026.”
President Stubb is accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising Ministers, senior officials and business leaders. This is the first visit of President Stubb to India in his present capacity.
Prime Minister Modi and President Alexander Stubb will be holding discussions on strengthening bilateral cooperation across a wide spectrum of areas. “They will also exchange perspectives on regional and global issues of mutual interest, including cooperation in multilateral fora….He will interact with Indian business leaders and attend an India-Finland business event. He will also address students at the University of Mumbai,” said the MEA.
Notably, Finland is a valued partner for India in the European Union and the Nordic region. President Stubb’s visit to India comes at a crucial time when India is forging a secure supply chain in critical technologies, mostly dominated by China.
When it comes to tech, Finland is a global leader in telecommunications and digital infrastructure. At a time when India is expanding 5G rapidly and investing in 6G research, Finland emerges as a natural partner. This will help reduce India’s dependence on the Chinese telecom ecosystem.
Finland also has an expertise in battery minerals and clean-energy technology, which are critical for India’s green transition, EV push and drone industry, aiding to the defence ecosystem.
Trade between India and Finland is relatively small but it is growing—especially in pharma, engineering goods, and IT services. Finland’s high-tech economy also offers several new export opportunities for India, including pharmaceuticals.
Bureau Report
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