Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal commenced an official visit to Finland on July 16, 2026, leading a high-level Indian delegation comprising senior business leaders and government officials to strengthen bilateral trade, investment, and industry cooperation. The visit builds on the elevation of India-Finland relations to a Strategic Partnership in Digitalisation and Sustainability during President Alexander Stubb's state visit to India in March 2026 and follows the conclusion of the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement on January 27, 2026.
Minister Goyal held bilateral discussions with Dr. Sakari Puisto, Minister of Economic Affairs of Finland, focusing on strengthening cooperation in financial markets, innovation, enterprise financing, and expanding bilateral trade and investment. The minister also addressed the India-Finland Business Forum held at the House of the Estates in Helsinki, which featured keynote addresses by both ministers and interventions by Mr. Narayan Sethuramon, Chairman of CII Trade Policy Council, and Mr. Lassi Noponen, Director General of Business Finland.
Two Memoranda of Understanding were signed on the sidelines of the Business Forum: between the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Business Finland, and between CII and the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK). These agreements create new institutional mechanisms to promote industry collaboration and facilitate greater business engagement between the two countries.
Indian and Finnish companies participated in sector-specific interactions covering digital and frontier technologies, space, clean energy, bioeconomy, circular economy, infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing, exploring opportunities for collaboration, investment, and technology partnerships. Minister Goyal highlighted the shared ambition to double bilateral trade by 2030 and emphasized the opportunities created by the India-EU Free Trade Agreement to expand trade, investment, manufacturing, and innovation partnerships. The engagements concluded with a networking reception hosted by the Embassy of India in Helsinki, providing further opportunities for business leaders and policymakers to strengthen institutional and commercial ties.