Finland’s business ties with India could soar in the near future and should that happen, one could see more and more Finnish participation in the East of the country. That’s Bengal, to be precise, where current news updates and reports stand.
Now, this development is both exciting and interesting in that, up to this point, most of the Finnish organisations are based in cities like- Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Chennai.
What’s also key to note is that Finland’s business ties with India aren’t a new or sudden development. They’ve been blossoming since the past decade or so. As a matter of fact, Finland’s ties with India date back to 1947, that’s when the famous Nordic nation set up a resident embassy in Delhi.
But more on the business front.
Thus far, there are no fewer than 100 Finnish companies that are operating in one of the world’s largest democracies. Some of them include revered names that hardly need an introduction- Nokia, Metso, Wartsila, Kone, to quote a few.
That being said, why Bengal, could possibly be a big question where many are concerned at this point in time?
To that end, it’s important to note that among the current scheme of things, the plan is to grow Finland’s business ties with India in geographies where, up to this point, it simply wasn’t present. It’s a step that the land famous for its love for Motor-cross, Rallying and Sauna, wishes to pursue through Ritva Koukku-Ronde, whose prime goal, in lines with the country’s vision, is to “increase the presence in Bengal.”
Moreover, Finland, led by its young and optimistic leader, Sana Marin, has identified that as an area marked for improvement.
Meanwhile, the revered Finnish diplomat, 65, has also gone as far as stating that Bengal is a region just as important as a Maharashtra or Karnataka for her country.
It is a land, one ought to note, that has inspired countless social media posts (and in some occasions, even memes featuring Kimi Raikkonen’s non-smiling face) in the wake of the country being recognised as the world’s happiest nation.
Aware about the potential Bengal offers to Finland, perhaps of the same magnitude as Karnataka or Maharashtra, the forthcoming days could well see new offices (branches, so to speak) cropping up in divergent regions in one of India’s most culturally-diverse and intellectually-gifted state.
That told, in the days to follow, all eyes particularly in the East shall be keen about the forthcoming Global Bengal Business Summit, which, at this point in time, has been confirmed to be hosted by the state government in India.
Furthermore, the Telegraph elaborated on the developing story, expanding in greater detail about what to expect from the land of which the Northern Lights are just one of the most stunning tourist attractions:
We are looking at sending a ministerial delegation for the industry summit. She added that the country was keen on sending Finnish films to the Kolkata International Film Festival and also take part in the Book Fair here to augment cultural ties with the region.
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What must also be considered as a fundamental step toward further strengthening Finland’s business ties with India is that the two countries, under the watch of PM Modi and his Finnish counterpart, Sana Marin, have already agreed to work on a digital alliance whose core area revolves around 6G.
But that’s an aspect that is still futuristic in terms of its arrival (read adoption) into the mainstream.