"We have the best relations ever...": Ambassador Freddy Svane on India-Denmark relations
Sep 05, 2023
New Delhi [India], September 5 : Denmark's Ambassador to India, Freddy Svane, expressed on Tuesday that Denmark and India currently enjoy the most robust relationship they've ever had, marked by the green strategic partnership between the two nations.
He said that as Copenhagen is part of two working groups: one on energy transition and another on climate sustainability. The Green Strategic Partnership focuses on expanding economic ties, green growth, and cooperation on global challenges such as climate change.
"Denmark and India, we have the best relations ever. We embarked upon a so-called green strategic partnership based on the scale of India,” the Denmark Ambassador said while speaking on India-Denmark relations.
He further said: “We are not here to teach nor to preach to India... but we would like to inspire you. It goes without saying that the size of India, and the scale of India will necessitate that we come with all our technologies, and all our skills to secure that this world's most populous nation will be able to cope with all the challenges.”
Svane further said, “India will take the lead, but we are of course a strategic partner in that trajectory.We have been part of two working groups. One on energy transition and another one on climate sustainability... We became an advisor to India on the green tracks. And that's our contribution to the G20 summit as well..."
Recently, Denmark's Deputy Chief of Mission in India Martin Strandgaard called the Green Strategic Partnership a "model agreement" and the first of its kind for both nations.
Speaking to ANI, he said, "I think it's extremely important that we come together. This agreement is a model agreement, the first of its kind for both Denmark and India."
The Green Strategic Partnership focuses on expanding economic ties, green growth, and cooperation on global challenges such as climate change.
He further said, "What we do is we offer our solutions, our technology. India, where the Indian government already has missions, has policies that it's pursuing. The countries need to come together to help each other achieve the ambitions that the countries set for themselves. This is what is all about, a true partnership between countries."
Danish companies with niche technologies and expertise have offered to help India in meeting its air pollution control targets, including in the key area of tackling the problem of burning crop stubble.
Meanwhile, the Demark Ambassador while speaking on the upcoming G20 Summit in New Delhi said India has spent a lot of resources in ensuring that this summit will be the biggest, the greenest and the most successful one ever in G20.
“G20 is much more relevant than we might think because that will set the direction for how we cope with climate change, shortage of food and all these challenges that are putting the world in a big crisis...” he said.
India is all set to host the G20 Summit scheduled to be held in New Delhi from September 9-10. World leaders will arrive in New Delhi to attend the G20 Summit. Notably, India assumed the G20 presidency on December 1 last year and about 200 meetings related to G20 were organized in 60 cities across the country.
The summit will be hosted at the state-of-the-art Bharat Mandapam Convention Centre at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
The Denmark Ambassador while speaking on the G20 Theme 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', said: "We are definitely inspired by this very old Sanskrit expression. It shows that we need to take global action. We are one family... We can't just jump to the moon, even though you and my congratulations on that. But we can't just leave the planet... So we need to protect the planet. It's our gift, nature's gift to us. And therefore this one Earth, one family, one future is so important because it enshrines whatever we are doing, what we have been doing and what we should be doing in the future. So it's a guiding principle."
