Kim Davy extradition figured in India-Denmark talks today, both countries working on legal process: MEA

By Naveen Kapoor
New Delhi [India], October 9 : The issue of Kim Davy extradition did come up in talks between India and Denmark led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
Briefing reporters on the outcome of the talks, Secretary (West) in Ministry of External Affairs, Reenat Sandhu said, "Kim Davy matter was raised and we have had an understanding that legal process must go forward and both countries are working on it."
Earlier talking to ANI, Denmark's envoy to India Freddy Svane said, "Judiciaries on both sides (India and Denmark) are looking into it. We will leave it to them. They are extremely competent and know how to handle these kinds of things."
Kim Davy is a key conspirator of the 1995 arms drop in the Purulia district of West Bengal. Purulia's arms drop is one of the biggest security breaches in Indian history.
On December 17, 1995, a very large consignment of illegal arms of AK47 rifles and a million rounds of ammunition scattered over four villages in the Purulia district of West Bengal were dropped from an Antonov An-26 aircraft.
India and Denmark signed four agreements. The first memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research- National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, Aarhus University, Denmark and Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland on mapping of groundwater resources and aquifers.
The second agreement was signed on the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library Access Agreement between the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research and the Danish Patent and Trademark Office.
The third MoU was signed between the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru and Danfoss Industries Private Limited to establish a Centre of Excellence towards natural refrigerants for tropical climates with potential applications.
The fourth agreement was a Joint Letter of Intent between the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Government of the Republic of India and The Government of the Kingdom of Denmark.
Both nations also agreed on a five-year action plan which outlines how Green Strategic Partnership will be implemented on the ground.
Denmark is the first country outside the tropic to ratify the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
Until recently, membership in the India-based ISA was limited to 121 sun-belt countries lying between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, but the alliance is starting to look beyond the tropics. There are now 124 member nations. The alliance's primary objective is to work for the efficient consumption of solar energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
Denmark Prime Minister Frederiksen also invited PM Modi to attend the second Nordic-India summit to be held in Copenhagen.
"Green Strategic Partnership was understandably the main focus of discussion. This is the area where there are tremendous complementarities and synergies between India and Denmark, given the energy-efficient and green technology that Danish companies have and scale that they can be utilized for benefit of people here in India, so this is very imp aspect of partnership" said senior MEA official Sandhu.
PM Modi during the discussion with Frederiksen also proposed to expand cooperation in areas like smart water resource management, waste to best and to manage efficient supply chain, cooperation in agricultural technology, food safety, cold chain food processing, fertilizers, fisheries and agriculture.
Global and regional issues like Afghanistan and Indo-Pacific were also discussed.
Both expressed commitment to continuing support to Afghan people while underlining the need for inclusivity in Afghanistan, counter-terrorism guarantees and respect for human rights in particular women rights.
Both leaders also welcomed the resumption of India-EU Free trade agreement negotiations and expressed hope they would be concluded at an early date.