New Delhi: Finnish Ambassador Mikko Kivikoski welcomed India’s efforts to engage with both Russia and Ukraine, saying that New Delhi’s diplomatic role was increasingly important as the war continued to disrupt energy markets and reverberate through the global economy.
“The engagement that India has is highly appreciated,” Kivikoski, who presented his credentials to President Droupadi Murmu last week, said at his first media briefing Monday. Finland, he said, valued its dialogue with India on “finding solutions to the war and to make the war end as soon as possible”.
New Delhi has repeatedly called for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the conflict, positioning itself as one of the few major powers able to maintain communication with both sides.
On Friday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said out of the four ceasefire proposals, India’s was the ‘broadest yet’. The other three proposals have been put forward by the US, Egypt and Turkiye.
Kivikoski’s comments come as European countries increasingly look to India as an important diplomatic and economic partner at a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty. Finland’s approach to security cooperation with India is complicated by New Delhi’s longstanding defence relationship with Russia.
Asked how Helsinki viewed India’s relationship with Moscow, Kivikoski said countries had to make their own decisions based on their security circumstances. Finland’s decision to join NATO, he said, had been driven by its assessment of the security threat posed by Russia.
The ambassador also pointed to the broader transformation of European security since the invasion, saying that NATO membership and defence cooperation had become central to Finland’s national security.
Kivikoski also reiterated Finland’s support for India’s bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
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Trade ties
The ambassador was upbeat about the conclusion of negotiations for an India-European Union free trade agreement (FTA), describing the deal as a promising foundation for closer commercial relations.
Negotiations concluded in January, with the agreement expected to be signed in Brussels in December. It is expected to enter into force in early 2027, subject to European Parliament approval and the completion of India’s domestic procedures.
“When one adds to that the three trade agreements, actually, quite a nice, promising perspective for the future,” Kivikoski said.
His reference was to the broader trade framework involving India and European partners.
For Finland, he said, the challenge now was to turn the political agreements into commercial activity. “As an ambassador of Finland, my main task will be to turn this political framework into concrete actions.”
Kivikoski said Finland wanted to see more companies enter the Indian market and greater investment between the two countries. He said there was considerable room to expand from the existing level of bilateral business.
The ambassador also highlighted the possibility of cooperation in sectors ranging from space and satellite communications to artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced digital infrastructure.
One area Finland sees as particularly promising is sovereign satellite communications. Kivikoski described Finland’s satellite communications capabilities as “dual-use” technology that can serve civilian as well as defence and security purposes, including border security, emergency services and disaster response.
The emphasis reflects Finland’s broader shift toward security cooperation since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Helsinki’s subsequent decision to join NATO in 2023.
Tech & cybersecurity
Digital technology is another area where Finland sees significant scope for closer cooperation with India.
With the two countries having elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership in digitalisation, Kivikoski said Finland wanted to build on that framework through cooperation in areas such as 5G and 6G networks, AI, quantum technologies, data centres and cybersecurity.
“Cyber attacks are now occurring on a regular basis, both in India and Finland,” he said, adding that the frequency of cyber threats created considerable room for collaboration.
Both countries are developing AI capabilities and expanding data-centre infrastructure, Kivikoski said, making data security and resilient communications networks increasingly important.
For Finland, the cooperation also offers an opportunity to connect its technological expertise with one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing digital markets.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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