India and Finland on Thursday agreed to elevate their bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership focused on digitalisation and sustainability, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Finnish President Alexander Stubb announcing a series of initiatives aimed at deepening cooperation in emerging technologies, education and mobility.Addressing a joint press interaction after bilateral talks, Modi warmly welcomed Stubb on his first visit to India as President and described him as a globally respected leader, thinker and writer. Notably, the Finnish leader is also the chief guest at this year’s Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi.Highlighting the expanding economic engagement between India and Europe, Modi referred to the recently concluded India-European Union Free Trade Agreement, saying the pact would significantly boost trade, investment and technological cooperation between India and Finland.The Prime Minister said Finnish expertise and companies had played an important role in India’s technological and infrastructure development. Telecommunications major Nokia, he noted, had connected millions of Indians through its mobile phone and telecom networks.He also cited collaboration with Finnish architects in constructing the world’s tallest railway bridge over the Chenab in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as the development of a bamboo-to-bioethanol refinery at Numaligarh in Assam.Building on such cooperation, Modi said the decision to transform the bilateral relationship into a strategic partnership would provide fresh momentum to collaboration in high-technology sectors.“This partnership will accelerate and energise our cooperation in many high-tech areas — from artificial intelligence to 6G telecommunications, and from clean energy to quantum computing,” he said.The two countries also agreed to expand cooperation in strategic sectors such as defence, space, semiconductors and critical minerals, which Modi said would contribute to strengthening secure and reliable global technology and supply chains.The leaders also announced the signing of a comprehensive migration and mobility agreement designed to facilitate the movement of students, professionals and researchers between the two countries.Modi noted that Finland was increasingly emerging as a preferred destination for Indian students and skilled professionals and said the agreement would help connect the innovation ecosystems of both nations.Education cooperation also featured prominently in the discussions. The two sides agreed to expand joint research initiatives in teacher training, promote school-to-school partnerships and collaborate on future education models. Finland is widely regarded as a global leader in education reforms.The Prime Minister said the two countries would deepen collaboration across the spectrum of human development, from school education to industrial innovation.Describing Finland as an important partner for India in the Nordic region, Modi said cooperation would also expand in Arctic and polar research.On sustainability, he announced that India and Finland would jointly host the World Circular Economy Forum in India later this year, which is expected to advance global discussions on circular economy models and environmental sustainability.In a lighter moment, Modi referred to Stubb’s completion of the Ironman Triathlon and said he was confident that, together with the Finnish leader, India and Finland would achieve a “new triathlon of innovation, digital transformation and sustainability”.The Prime Minister expressed confidence that the visit would open what he described as a new golden chapter in the India-Finland partnership.