India-Norway Relations

(a) Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Norway on Economic, Industrial and Technological Cooperation (1987)

(b) Convention between Norway and India for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to taxes on income and on capital (1986)

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(c) Agreement between India and Norway relating to air services (1995)

(d) A Protocol on Foreign Office Consultations was signed in New Delhi in May 1996 providing for meetings to be held on an annual basis, alternately in New Delhi and Oslo,at the level of Secretary. Four such rounds have so far taken place in Oslo (July 1999), New Delhi (July 2001), Oslo (August 2003) and Delhi (May 2005).

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(e) A Cultural Agreement between Norway and India was signed on 19th April 1961.

(f) Agreement on “Establishment of Joint Commission on Cooperation” was signed in New Delhi on 6th July 2004.

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(g) A joint Working Group on Hydrocarbons was constituted in 2004. So far three rounds of JWG meetings were held.

(h) An MoU on Mutual Cooperation between FSI, MEA and FSI, MFA, Norway was signed on 17.6.05 during the JCM Meeting in Oslo, Norway attended by EAM, Shri K.Natwar Singh.

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(i) An Agreement on Science & Technology was signed during the visit of Shri Kapil Sibal, Hon’ble Minister of Science & Technology to Norway from 13-15 November, 2006 which established a Joint Working Group (JWG) to implement the bilateral programme of action.

(j) A Joint Working Group on Culture was established in 2005 and first round of JWG meeting was held in New Delhi in December, 2005.

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(k) Norway-India Partnership Initiative (NIPI) on MDG-4 signed in New Delhi on September 8, 2006.

(l) An Arrangement to enable the members of the family forming part of the household of a member of a Diplomatic Mission or Consular post to engage in gainful occupation was signed during the Second Session of the Indo-Norway Joint Commission Meeting held on 15th December, 2006 in New Delhi.

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(m) A Terms of Reference (TOR) of the Indo-Norwegian Joint Working Group on Environment was singed on 15th December, 2006.

Bilateral Visits from Norway

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Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store visited India on14-16 December, 2006 to Co-chair the Second Session of the Indo-Norwegian Joint Commission Meeting held in New Delhi on 15th December, 2006.

Crown Prince Hakon and Crown Princess Mette Marit, accompanied by business delegation, paid an official visit to India on October 29-November 3, 2006.

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PM Jens Stoltenberg paid a working visit to New Delhi on December 7-9, 2005.

The Norwegian Foreign Minister Mr. Jan Petersen visited India in July 6, 2004. The Agreement to set up an Indo-Norwegian Joint Commission at the Foreign Ministers’ level was signed during this visit.

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Foreign Minister Jan Petersen visited India from 8-10 November 2002. He had also visited India in January 2000. The then Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg visited India in April 2001, accompanied by a high level official delegation and a fifty member business delegation.

Other High Level Visits from Norway

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Recent Visits:

Erik Solheim, Norwegian Minister of International Development Aid visited India in December 8-9, 2005 and May 28, 2006

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Foreign Affairs Committee of Norwegian Parliament (January 2005).

Norwegian Trade Minister Mr. Borge Brende led a large business delegation (February, 2005). Mr.

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Mr. Olav Kjorven, Norwegian Secretary of State for Development, (September 2004).
State Secretary Vidar Helgesen visited India (Oct 2004).

Earlier Visits from Norway:

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Norwegian Minister of Agriculture,Mr. Lars Sponheim (January 2004);

Storting Speaker J. Kosmo New Delhi (January 2003). Norwegian State Secretary Ms Elsbeth Tronstad (February 2002);

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State Secretary in the Norwegian Foreign Office Mr. Raymond Johansen accompanied by Mr. Erik Solheim (Foreign Minister’s Special Adviser on Sri Lanka)(November 2000),

Foreign Relation Committee of the Norwegian Parliament (January 1997),

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Minister of Energy, Mrs. Grete Faremo (December 1996)

Norwegian Minister of Development Cooperation Mrs Kari Nordheim Larsen with a high level delegation (May, 1994);

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Former Norwegian Prime Minister Mrs. Gro Harlem Brundtland (1987) to receive the Indira Gandhi Peace Award 1990).

Visits from India to Norway

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Shri Kapil Sibal, Hon’ble Minister of Science & Technology visited Norway from 13-15 November, 2006.

Shri Shyam Saran, Foreign Secretary, accompanied by JS(DISA) and JS(UN) paid a two-day official visit to Norway on August 23-25, 2006.

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Shri Mani Shankar Iyer, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas in September 2005.

Shri K. Natwarsingh, Minister of External Affairs in June 2005 to attend the JCM.

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Shri Soli Sorabjee, Attorney General of India, (May 2003) and addressed the Peace Research Institution (PRIO) on ‘The Constitution, Courts and Minorities’.

Minister for Shipping, Shri Shatrughan Sinha, (October, 2003).

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Union Minster for Commerce and Industry, late Shri Murasoli Maran, (June, 2002) to address the "World Bank Annual Conference on Development Economics".

Shri K. Natwar Singh, M.P. (December 2002) to attend the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony.

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Minister of State for External Affairs, Shri Omar Abdullah,( April, 2000),

A10-member Indian Parliamentary delegation headed by Lok Sabha Speaker, P.A. Sangma, (1997).

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Shri Kamal Nath, then Minister for Environment, attended the Oslo Ministerial Round Table Conference on Sustainable Production and Consumption from (February, 1995).

Shri Jagdish Tytler, then Minister of State for Surface Transport, (May, 1994),

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Commercial and Economic Relations, with trade, aid and investment details with India:

Bilateral trade between India and Norway (in US$ million) (Source: Statistics of Norway)
Indian Exports to Norway: US$ 211.1 million (2005); US$ 152.6 millian upto August 2006
Indian Imports from Norway : US$ 129.7 million(2005); US$ 117.52 million upto August 2006

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Joint Commission

The First meeting of the Indo-Norwegian Joint Commission was held in Oslo on June 16-17, 2005. It was Co-chaired by EAM External Affairs Minister Shri K. Natwar Singh and Norwegian Foreign Minister. The Second Session of the Joint Commission Meeting was held in New Delhi on December 14-15, 2006.

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Chairs in Universities on India Studies

University of Oslo: Institute for East-European and Oriental Studies. A BA or MA in South Asian Studies can be pursued in this institute. Dr. Arild Engelsen Ruud is the expert in this field. Address: P.O. box 10 72 Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway, Web: informasjon@uio.no / www.uio.no , Telephone: 22 85 50 50

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Bergen University: The Institute of Social Anthropology has its own research unit on South Asia, with focus areas in India and Pakistan. Contact Person : Professor Leif Manager Email: leif.manager@sosantr.uib.no , P.O. box 7800, 5020 Bergen, Norway, Web: veiledning.us@uib.no www.uib.no , Telephone: 55 58 00 00

NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology): Does not have a separate South Asia/Asia Department, but has classes regarding these topics at the Faculty of Social Sciences.
Address: NTNU, 7491 Trondheim, Norway, Web: postmottak@adm.ntnu.no / www.ntnu.no,
Telephone: 73 59 50 00

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Recent Cultural Troupes - Incoming & Outgoing:

During 2004, two cultural groups sponsored by ICCR visited Norway.

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1. Rang Phuhar folk dance troupe from Gujarat visited from 20th to 23rd August 2004 and

2. Chetna Theatre troupe from Kolkata performed from 5th to 7th September, 2004 during

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Ibsen Festival of Norway.

3. Guru Gangwani’s Kathak Group performed in Oslo and Bergen in October 2005.

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4. A12-member ICCR sponsored Kathak dance troupe performed in Oslo and Bergen on October 16 and 17, 2005 respectively in commemoration of the Centennial of the Independence of Norway which commenced in June 2005 and will last until May next year. India was identified as one of the eleven partner countries for centennial celebrations.

Student Exchange Programmes, etc.

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Utilisation of CEP Scholarships offered by ICCR from 1997-98 till 2003-04 is as below:-

1997-98: One student for a course in TV Production/Literature/Journal; 1999-00: Nil;
2000-01: One student, selected by Research Council of Norway, later withdrew;
2002-03: Nil ; 2003-04 : one student selected for Hindi Course.

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Types of visas:

Types of visas issued, visa details for officials, students, business people, tourist etc. can be obtained from www.newdelhi.mfa.no

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Air links with India/Convenient Travel Routes.

There are no direct air links with India. However, there are convenient flights available from India to important location in Europe such as Frankfurt, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Helsinki and Moscow from where convenient air connections are available.

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Promotion Council, FICCI, CII, ASSOCHEM, etc.

Address : Innovation Norway, Akers gt.13, P.O. Box 448 Sentrum, 0104 Oslo, Tel-00- 47-22002500, www.invanor.no
Link to Embassy and Consulate Websites: www.indemb.no

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NRI/PIO Population

There are 7,000 Persons of Indian Origin (mostly Punjabis/Sikhs) in Norway as on 30.09.2006.

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