The event saw participation from many of Team Norway’s most valuable ocean partners, including Mr. Ratan Watal, Chair of the India-Norway Task Force on Blue Economy for Sustainable Development, Dr. M. Ravichandran, Secretary of Ministry of Earth Sciences, and Mr. Rameshwar Prasad Gupta, Secretary of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Frydenlund thanked all the actors involved in the India-Norway Blue Economy cooperation. The Ambassador emphasized that the Blue Partnership with India is built on common interests and complementary strengths, and is driven by demand from businesses, researchers, officials and civil society on both sides.
- The Blue Economy cooperation is a model for how two countries can work together in an equal and mutually beneficial manner to grow their economies and create jobs in a sustainable way, said Ambassador Frydenlund.
During the Norwegian Prime Minister’s visit to India in 2019, India and Norway agreed to establish an Ocean Dialogue and a Task Force on Blue Economy for Sustainable Development. The India-Norway cooperation on oceans goes back to the 1950s, but has been substantially strengthened in the last 3 years. Business cooperation in ocean industries is gaining momentum, and collaboration under the India-Norway Marine Pollution Initiative and the India-Norway Integrated Ocean Management & Research Initiative is delivering results.
A new branding image and informational brochure was launched during the event.