Sarbananda Sonowal Embarks on 5-Day Visit to Norway and Denmark to Boost Maritime Ties.
International
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, heading the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), embarked on a 5-day official visit to Norway and Denmark, starting from June 2, 2025, with the objective to strengthen maritime cooperation and strategic partnerships.
- During the visit, he participated in the High-Level Meeting on Oceans held as part of the 60th edition of the Nor-Shipping event in Oslo, Norway, a premier global maritime forum.
- As part of his engagements, the Minister held bilateral meetings with his ministerial counterparts from Japan, Norway, and Denmark, focusing on collaborative opportunities in port development, green shipping, and maritime innovation.
- He also interacted with leading European shipping companies, component manufacturers, and technology developers to explore avenues for adopting advanced maritime technologies, fostering sustainable shipping, and boosting India’s maritime sector growth.
Main Point :- (i) Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal (MoPSW) visited Norway from June 2–4, 2025, to strengthen maritime ties. He led India’s delegation at Nor-Shipping 2025 in Oslo, marking its 60th edition. During the India @Nor-Shipping session, he announced India’s commitment of USD 20 billion (₹1.67 trillion) for infrastructure, focusing on logistics, port connectivity, and trade facilitation.
(ii) As part of the visit, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) signed an MoU with Kongsberg Maritime AS, a Norway-based firm, to co-design and build India’s first-ever Polar Research Vehicle (PRV) indigenously. The PRV will be constructed at GRSE’s shipbuilding facilities in Kolkata, West Bengal, marking a significant step in India's polar and maritime research capabilities.
(iii) Following the Norway visit, Minister Sonowal travelled to Denmark to further strengthen bilateral maritime ties. He held a bilateral meeting with Morten Bødskov, Minister of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, Government of Denmark. Both ministers exchanged views on enhancing cooperation under the Green Strategic Partnership (GSP) and the existing MoU on Maritime Affairs, aiming to boost sustainable maritime practices and technology exchange between the two nations.
About Denmark
Capital: Copenhagen
Prime minister: Mette Frederiksen
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