Former Iceland PM backs stronger India-Nordic ‘partnerships', says ‘Greenland not for sale'
The former Icelandic prime minister is in New Delhi for the Arctic Circle India Forum, co-hosted by the Arctic Circle and the Observer Research Foundation (ORF).
'What we have seen really is the fact that the relation between India and the Nordics has been growing stronger. And now, actually, the Nordic prime ministers are heading for a third meeting in Oslo. So, I think this is an important relation both to Nordic countries and to India,' Jakobsdóttir said to ThePrint.
New Delhi: India and the Nordic countries are working together to build 'understandings' and a 'partnership', former Icelandic prime minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir said in an exclusive interview with ThePrint, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Norway for the third India-Nordic Summit this month.
'We're living in very turbulent times where dialogue is needed between different countries. Also, even though the differences are great, it's so important to create understanding and opportunities. India is the largest democracy in the world. Its population is growing very fast. It's one of the largest economies in the world,' Jakobsdóttir added.
'I noticed that your foreign minister [S. Jaishankar] said we don't need preachers, we need partners. But I think exactly that is what the Nordic-Indo relationship has been about. It has been about partnerships.'
Jaishankar had Sunday criticised European countries at the Arctic Circle India Forum as having a penchant for 'preaching', saying they need to 'start acting based on a framework of mutuality'.
Modi is set to travel to Croatia, Norway and the Netherlands from 13 May to 17 May. Norway will hold the third India-Nordic Summit, where the leaders of Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland will also participate. Jakobsdóttir represented Iceland at both the previous editions of the summit.
Last year, India signed a free trade agreement with Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland—the four members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA)—the first such deal with European nations. Jakobsdóttir led Reykjavik through the negotiations for the deal during her 7-year tenure as prime minister.
Also Read: Why India needs to be a part of strategic conversations on Greenland
Politics of the Arctic & Greenland
The Arctic region has been in the news in the past few months as US President Donald J. Trump has set his sights on Greenland, a semi-autonomous part of Denmark. The King of Denmark, Frederik X, travelled to the strategic island last week.
US Vice-President J.D. Vance, during a trip to an American military installation on the island at the end of March, accused Denmark of underinvesting in the island, while Trump has refused to rule out a military takeover of the mineral-rich island. Denmark is a military ally of the US through its membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).
'The three countries that the Kingdom of Denmark is built on—Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. And of course, Greenland is a country with a rich culture, population, with a very special culture and language. And, as so many have said, you know, Greenland can't be bought or sold,' Jakobsdóttir said to ThePrint.
'Greenland is our nearest neighbour in Iceland. I've been there several times and I've met many Greenlandic friends. I think their future is bright. Greenland is not a commodity to be bought or sold,' she added.
The US president has been wary of the Arctic build-up by Russia and China, and has claimed it is an issue of international security for the US to annex Greenland.
Trump's focus on Russia's potential to strengthen its position in the Arctic comes at a time when the Arctic Council, the main intergovernmental forum to deal with the region, remains hamstrung due to the war between Russia and Ukraine.
'Of course, we have had severe challenges in the Arctic Council for the last years after Russia's illegal and brutal invasion into Ukraine. And from that point, we haven't really had a political debate with Russia. Within the Arctic Council, that has proven to be quite a challenge,' said Jakobsdóttir.
'And there we have Russia and then other seven countries that are all actually members of NATO around the Arctic. So obviously, that creates a challenge for the Arctic Council,' she added.
Set up in 1996, the Arctic Council has eight members—Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the US. India is an observer member of the intergovernmental forum, along with China and 11 other countries.
The former Icelandic prime minister said developments in the Arctic have an impact on other parts of the world, including India.
'The changes in the Arctic might have an effect on the water supply of India and the rest of Southeast Asia,' she said.
The changes in the 'Arctic might have an effect on the monsoon, which is really the backbone of Indian agriculture and food production,' added Jakobsdóttir.
'When we talk about possible opportunities in the Arctic, I think it's very important to keep in mind the holistic picture that the climate crisis is affecting each and every one of us. Of course, we need to think about applications, but we cannot stop thinking about mitigation and how we can actually reduce the effects of climate change.'
(Edited by Sugita Katyal)
Also Read: 'India wants partners, not preachers'—Jaishankar slams Europe's lack of engagement with Russia for peace
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