India and Denmark relations have elevated to a “green strategic partnership” after an exchange of views in a friendly atmosphere on bilateral relations. Both countries have agreed to further strengthen cooperation in areas of renewable energy, environment, economy, climate change and science and technology. In this light, the Ananta Centre supported by TATAs held a digital session on “Green Strategic Partnership: Re- energising India Denmark Relations” addressed by H.E. Mr. Freddy Svane, Ambassador of Denmark to India. This session was chaired by Ms. Indrani Bagchi, Chief Executive Officer, Ananta Centre.
During 1970’s, Denmark was entirely dependent on fossil fuels but in 1973, it suffered from an oil crisis which forced them to rethink and reinvent their energy policies. This resulted in the country going through a green energy transition and since then their approach has remained the same. Looking at India, and it’s missions like the Swachh Bharat of the government of India, both countries acknowledged the need of partnering with skills and solutions towards green transition with the help of practices Denmark has built and developed over the past years.
The partnership has multiple layers that help both the countries to cooperate and engage in dialogue. First of all, the multiple visits of the Prime Ministers of both countries to each other’s countries helped not only in building strong political relations between both the countries but also setting up of a political framework to ameliorate the engagement of their governments, institutions as well as commercial companies. For instance, in May 2022, four agreements were signed between the commercial companies of both the countries. One of the agreements signed was between the Indian company Reliance and Danish company Stiesdal to help and transfer important technologies to India to manufacture Hydrogen electrolysers. Likewise, policy institutions like NITI Ayog and government-to-government schemes further entails the principles of the partnership.
Thispartnership could bring benefits if the transfer of technology actually happens. It will help in obtaining electrolysers that can create technology where the need for coal for steel production will diminish. Moreover, it will also help in securing the commitment made in Glassgow by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The conversation accentuated the role Denmark can play in helping India obtain a resilient and robust system that can manage and integrate fluctuations in various forms of energy the Denmark is a champion of.
Both countries want a greener, peaceful world so missions like Swachh Bharat by the Indian government helped India and Denmark connect on environmental issues. Denmark is willing to help and assist India in reducing their use of energy resources by cooperating and transferring ideas on technology that can be used.Denmark can also assist India in its Jal Jeevan Mission which aims to provide water to 192 million households and give suggestions as it has special knowledge and useful technology with water so that water is not overspent through leakages or inefficiency of the technology as Denmark has been able to set up a very efficient water distribution system in its own country. Denmark acknowledged its commitment made in COP15 as a developed country to support developing countries financially by the act of including it in its Finance Bill while also implementing the idea of Green Financing.
Green transition is a core element of the Green Strategic Partnership. In order to help and inspire India in its green transition, Denmark can provide advanced technologies and best practices it has developed over the years.Other than the developments that are needed in the infrastructures to achieve the missions of the partnership, systems where practices and behaviors of people towards the use of energy are rectified are immensely significant to be developed in order to really see the countries becoming more and more sustainable and environment friendly.
This digital session was a part of a series on “Ambassador Series.”
