NEW DELHI, 7 February 2008 — Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen said his visit would strengthen relations, including business ties, with India.
Speaking after a reception at the president’s house yesterday, Rasmussen said a joint Indian-Danish commission would be set up to create a framework for further development of “our partnership.”
Rasmussen said Denmark was keen to promote cooperation with India in the fields of environment, energy and food technology. He said he hoped India would play a constructive role in reaching a comprehensive global climate agreement during a climate conference that Denmark is scheduled to host in 2009.
Rasmussen yesterday met President Pratibha Patil, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee. Rasmussen and his wife Anne Mette Rasmussen also met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur.
Rasmussen is accompanied by a business delegation. He will visit Agra during his five-day visit that ends on Feb. 8.
Rasmussen will attend the Sustainable Development Summit on Climate Change being held in Delhi today.
Rasmussen’s visit has taken place at a time when there is increasing desire on both sides to strengthen relations, Indian sources said. In the recent years, their relations are said to have shifted toward “synergies in economic, trade, investment and technology.” With Denmark appreciating the emergence of India as an economic powerhouse with sustained high rates of growth, Danish companies are showing a greater interest in expanding their business with Indian companies, the sources said.
Rasmussen pointed out that there was considerable potential for expansion of Indo-Danish ties.
“So far, around 75 Danish companies have established their presence here,” Rasmussen said. “At the same time Indian companies are interested in Denmark. They want to be closer to the European market and the European customers, and they want to gain access to new technology, which is imperative in order to stay competitive,” he said.
Denmark has indicated it would like to see India in an expanded Security Council. Denmark is also an important member of the European Union, with which India has a strategic partnership. Denmark is also a member of Nuclear Suppliers Group.
Indo-Danish trade reached $885 million in 2006, with Indian exports being $542 million, while imports from Denmark stood at $343 million. The balance of trade is in India’s favor and surplus increased to $199 million in 2006 from $82 million in 2005. Among the foreign investors in India, Denmark ranks at the 22nd place, sources said. In 2006, the total bilateral trade was $1065.8 million, after including the Danish service exports to India — $664 million and Indian service exports to Denmark, which was $401.8 million.
