Blue Economy, Arctic Science and AI: Lessons from the 12th India–Norway FOC
- Joydeep Chakraborty
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Some partnerships grow through announcements; others mature through consultation.
Diplomacy’s most consequential moments rarely make headlines. The 12th India–Norway FOC reveals why continuity, not spectacle, defines modern statecraft.
On 2 February 2026, in Oslo, senior diplomats from India and Norway gathered not for a ceremony, but for calibration without any grand declarations or flashing cameras. Yet, beneath the quiet setting of the 12th India–Norway Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) lay decisions and directions that will shape trade flows, climate cooperation, maritime futures and scientific partnerships for decades.
Some partnerships grow through announcements; others mature through consultation. India and Norway belong firmly in the latter category.
The Power of Being Indiscreetly Discreet
Foreign Office Consultations rarely trend on social media, but they are where diplomacy does its real work. Led by Sibi George, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs, and Torgeir Larsen, Secretary General of Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the 12th FOC reaffirmed a shared belief that sustained dialogue matters more than episodic spectacle.
From Arctic science to the blue economy and artificial intelligence, India–Norway ties are being carefully future-proofed, with seasoned diplomats using each consultation as a moment of strategic recalibration. These meetings allow both sides to review progress honestly, align expectations and quietly expand ambition. In an era of geopolitical volatility, that predictability is itself strategic capital.
A Relationship Built Before It Was Branded “Strategic”
Long before Arctic cooperation and artificial intelligence entered the bilateral lexicon, India–Norway relations were being shaped on the shores of Kerala. In the early 1950s, the Indo-Norwegian Fisheries Project introduced mechanised boats, modern harbour infrastructure and scientific fishing practices to India’s southwest coast. What began as a development partnership fundamentally altered India’s marine economy, laying the foundation for a modern fisheries sector and coastal livelihood generation.
This early cooperation did more than modernise fishing. It created trust. That trust explains why, decades later, the relationship could evolve naturally from aid to equal partnership.
As global priorities shifted towards sustainability, energy security and climate governance, India–Norway ties expanded accordingly. Trade, maritime affairs, renewable energy and scientific collaboration replaced donor-recipient frameworks. Institutional mechanisms like the FOC became essential to manage this growing complexity.
Trade, Technology and the Long Road to TEPA
A trillion-rupee trade promise does not emerge overnight but is cultivated through years of patient diplomacy. One of the central discussions in Oslo focused on the India–European Free Trade Association Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), which entered into force on 1 October 2025. Signed in March 2024, TEPA is projected to unlock nearly US$100 billion in investment into India and generate around one million jobs over 15 years.
For India and Norway, TEPA is not just a trade agreement. It is a framework for technology transfer, green investment and industrial collaboration. Its success owes much to years of preparatory work conducted quietly through mechanisms like the FOC, where technical concerns were addressed long before political signatures were inked.
During his visit, Secretary George also met Ms. Ragnhild Sjoner Syrstad, State Secretary at Norway’s Ministry of Trade and Industry. The focus was to move beyond conventional trade into clean technology, offshore wind, green shipping, carbon capture, energy efficiency and digital innovation.
Norway brings advanced maritime and energy technologies. India offers scale, talent and an innovation-driven market. The complementarity is not theoretical, but increasingly operational.
Oceans as Opportunity: The Blue Economy Convergence
Few partnerships illustrate strategic alignment as clearly as India and Norway’s cooperation in the blue economy. Norway’s global leadership in green shipping and maritime technology has increasingly intersected with India’s ambition to modernise ports and decarbonise shipping. Over successive FOCs, maritime cooperation has moved from general dialogue to targeted engagement by covering ship design, energy-efficient vessels and sustainable port infrastructure.
For India, with its vast coastline and expanding maritime footprint, sustainable ocean governance is both an economic and security imperative. For Norway, oceans are a lived reality, not an abstract policy domain.
The 12th FOC reaffirmed commitments on shipping, fisheries, marine pollution reduction and maritime technology. Beneath these discussions lies a shared belief in rules-based maritime governance, at a time when global commons face unprecedented stress.
Arctic Science: Where Climate Meets Cooperation
India’s Arctic engagement is both physical and operational. Since 2008, Indian scientists have worked out of Himadri, India’s Arctic research station in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, hosted in Norwegian territory. The station has enabled long-term research on climate change, glaciology and atmospheric science, making Norway a key partner in India’s polar science ambitions.
This cooperation deepened further in 2014, when India installed IndARC, a multi-sensor underwater observatory in the Kongsfjorden fjord near Svalbard. Designed to collect real-time data on ocean currents, temperature and biogeochemical processes, IndARC represents one of India’s most sophisticated overseas scientific deployments.
At the 12th FOC, Arctic affairs and climate science featured prominently. Norway’s central role in Arctic governance complements India’s growing scientific presence and policy interest. Arctic data increasingly informs monsoon models, climate forecasts and global environmental governance. The consultations reinforced how science diplomacy can anchor broader geopolitical cooperation.
AI, Space and the Circular Economy
What distinguishes the current phase of India–Norway relations is its adaptability. Over time, the FOC agenda has expanded to include artificial intelligence, circular economy, green hydrogen, space cooperation and advanced manufacturing.
These are not simply add-ons as they reflect an understanding that future competitiveness will be shaped by technology, sustainability and data-driven governance. The 12th FOC demonstrated that the bilateral framework is flexible enough to absorb these emerging domains without losing coherence.
This evolution also reflects how institutionalised diplomacy works best when it evolves quietly, absorbing new priorities without abandoning old ones.
Multilateral Alignment in an Uncertain World
Beyond bilateral issues, the Oslo consultations addressed coordination in multilateral fora, including the United Nations. Climate change, sustainable development and international security featured prominently.
In a fragmented global order, alignment does not mean uniformity. It means dialogue.
Through regular FOCs, India and Norway have been able to exchange views candidly, anticipate divergences and identify areas of convergence before crises emerge. For both countries, multilateral engagement remains a strategic necessity rather than an ideological preference.
The Human Bridge: Diaspora and People-to-People Ties
As part of his visit, Secretary George interacted with the Indian community in Norway, acknowledging their role as living connectors between the two societies.
The Indian diaspora contributes not just economically, but culturally and intellectually. Students, researchers, entrepreneurs and professionals form informal networks that reinforce formal diplomacy. These human links ensure that the partnership is not confined to official communiqués.
Why Foreign Office Consultations Still Matter
Foreign Office Consultations are institutionalised dialogues conducted largely outside the public gaze. Their strength lies in continuity. They allow governments to manage complexity, coordinate across ministries and discuss sensitive issues without pressure.
For India, FOCs align with a diplomatic style that values strategic autonomy and issue-based partnerships. They provide bureaucratic memory and policy follow-through, particularly in economic diplomacy and global governance.
In the India–Norway context, regular FOCs reflect a recognition of Norway’s strategic relevance in maritime governance, climate policy, Arctic affairs and advanced technologies. This is a partnership by design, not coincidence.
Momentum Without Noise
Looking forward, both sides see scope for deeper cooperation in clean energy, digital innovation, advanced manufacturing, startups, research partnerships and skill development. The decision to hold the next round of FOCs in New Delhi underscores a commitment to continuity.
The real story of the 12th India–Norway FOC is not what was announced, but what was sustained. While some partnerships grow through announcements, others mature through consultation. As global challenges intensify, the latter may prove far more resilient.
Diplomacy’s most consequential moments rarely make headlines, but they often decide the future.