By Sitaram Mewati
World Trade Center Mumbai, in association with the All India Association of Industries (AIAI) and the Royal Norwegian Consulate General in Mumbai, organised an International Trade Dialogue with Norway to enhance bilateral economic engagement across energy, maritime and green growth sectors.
The dialogue brought together senior government officials, diplomats, industry leaders and trade stakeholders to explore opportunities for expanding cooperation in sustainable energy, maritime innovation, green technologies and investment. The participation of H.E. Ms. Monica Nagelgaard, Consul General, reflected the growing momentum in India–Norway relations.
Fredrik Bjerke Abdelmaguid, Deputy Consul General, said Norway is keen to deepen its economic engagement with India, particularly in clean energy, sustainable maritime solutions and innovation-driven industries. He noted that the complementarities between Norwegian technological expertise and India’s expanding industrial ecosystem align strongly with the India–EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), which includes a USD 100 billion investment commitment over 15 years.
Dr. Vijay Kalantri, Chairman, World Trade Center Mumbai and President, AIAI, highlighted India’s ambitious climate goals, including achieving Net Zero emissions by 2070 and 500 GW of non-fossil fuel energy capacity by 2030. He said partnerships with global technology leaders like Norway will play a critical role in accelerating India’s clean energy transition. He also pointed to opportunities in pharmaceuticals, maritime equipment, shipping technologies and chemicals as areas for enhanced collaboration.
Bilateral trade between India and Norway has crossed USD 1.2 billion, and stakeholders expressed optimism that TEPA will help significantly expand trade and investment flows in the coming years.
Ms. Reena R Rao, General Manager of Mahatma Phule Renewable Energy and Infrastructure Technology Limited(MAHAPREIT), outlined the organisation’s initiatives in renewable energy, electric vehicles, agro-processing, biofuels and infrastructure development aimed at inclusive growth in Maharashtra.
Mr. Azam Ali Khan of Norwegian Energy Partners (NORWEP) emphasised collaboration in offshore energy and green transition technologies. The programme concluded with an interactive session and a vote of thanks, reaffirming commitment to strengthening India–Norway economic cooperation.
Editor in Chief : Mewati SItaram
