NEW DELHI: Europe is set to be Indian diplomacy’s new focus after US Vice President J D Vance’s visit to India from April 21 to 23. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will headline a flurry of high-level engagements in May with his tour to Croatia, Norway and Netherlands. The highlight of this visit is expected to be his participation in the third India-Nordic Summit scheduled for May 15 in Norway’s capital city Oslo. Modi’s European itinerary is likely to begin with a historic stop in Croatia, marking the first-ever visit by an Indian prime minister to the Adriatic nation. The visit is aimed at enhancing economic ties, particularly in the context of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, announced during the 2023 G20 Summit in Delhi. Croatia’s geographic position and nearby ports such as Italy’s Trieste—a key element in the corridor– make it a vital partner in this initiative.In Norway, Modi will attend the India-Nordic Summit alongside leaders from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. The summit will focus on expanding cooperation in trade, innovation, renewable energy, climate change, and sustainable development. Norway, has ratified the India-EFTA (European Free Trade Association), trade pact, known as TEPA, Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement.EFTA is an intergovernmental organisation that promotes free trade and economic cooperation between its member states, which currently include Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. The bilateral discussions with Norway will also touch on Arctic cooperation, maritime industries, and UN Security Council reform, where Norway backs India’s bid for permanent membership, sources said.Modi recently held conversations on phone with both Danish Prime Minister M Mette Frederiksen and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, highlighting the summit’s importance. The final leg of the trip takes the Prime Minister to the Netherlands, where he last visited in 2017. The visit is expected to enhance the strategic partnership, particularly in water management, and strengthen already robust trade relations. The Netherlands is India’s largest trading partner in the EU and hosts the second-largest Indian diaspora in Europe after the UK.Complementing these diplomatic engagements, India is also expected to host French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu in early May. His visit is set to finalise the Rs 63,000 crore Rafale M deal for 26 naval fighter jets, further cementing India-France defence cooperation.
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