The Hindu : Front Page : Denmark "rediscovering" India as equal partner

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 15, 2005

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Denmark "rediscovering" India as equal partner

Suresh Nambath

Many opportunities for close cooperation between the two countries: Danish Permanent Secretary

Ulrik Federspiel — Photo: N. Sridharan

CHENNAI: Denmark is "rediscovering" India not only economically as an equal partner in trade and investment but politically and culturally, according to Ulrik Federspiel, Danish Permanent Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

The "opening up" of India, economically by way of reforms, and politically by way of closer ties with the West, had set the stage for greater cooperation between the two countries, he said in an interview to The Hindu on Sunday.

Noting that India had forged a good relationship with Denmark during the Premiership of Jawaharlal Nehru, who visited Copenhagen in 1957, and Indira Gandhi, whose nanny was Danish, he said the two countries should build on it.

When Denmark's Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen visits India, the two sides are to sign a joint agreement covering sectors such as environment and biotechnology. The Prime Minister was coming with a whole delegation of businessmen, Mr. Federspiel said.

Although India-Denmark relations were affected by India's nuclear tests, the situation had changed now. Denmark welcomed India's engagement on many world issues.

Asked how Denmark viewed India's agreement with the United States on cooperation on civilian nuclear energy programmes that went beyond stated non-proliferation concerns, Mr. Federspiel said his country's preliminary thinking was that it was just an agreement between the United States and India. "We think it's better to have a dialogue than not have a dialogue." Denmark did not differ from the rest of Europe and the United States on major issues when it came to relations with India.Both India's economic reforms and its closeness to the United States and the Western world in the recent past had helped modify Denmark's perspective on India. The situation had changed from the time of the Cold War when the world was stagnant and India tried to manoeuvre through the Non-Aligned Movement. After the fall of the Berlin Wall and 9/11 and the coming into being of a "new world order," India had a bigger role on the world stage.

Refusing to accept that Denmark had got into a mess by sending troops to Iraq, he said after the elections in Iraq "we can see a glimmer at the end of the tunnel." However, he declined to set any timeframe for de-induction of his country's troops from Iraq.

Mr. Federspiel, who was in Chennai to participate in the foundation stone laying ceremony of an India-Denmark venture in wind energy, said there were many opportunities for close cooperation between India and Denmark, and energy sector was one of them. Denmark wanted to share its knowledge and its technology in this field. Denmark had invested heavily in India over the past few years, he said.

After having provided aid and assistance to India in the health and social sectors, Denmark was now looking to invest in India and also seeking investment from India. For India "Copenhagen could be a window to Europe," he said. Danish Ambassador Michael Sternberg said the maritime sector too was important in India-Denmark relations with Denmark having invested in Indian ports.

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