New Delhi, December 5
Denmark's outgoing Ambassador to India Freddy Svane on Wednesday emphasised the Green Strategic Partnership between India and Denmark as the most important aspect of the bilateral relationship between the two nations.
Speaking on the partnership, Svane explained that it had laid the foundation for a strategic relationship beyond just bilateral cooperation and expressed the desire for both countries to continue advancing this partnership to make it more tangible and impactful.
"It is the most important thing. I think it's like when you design a smart city, a brand new smart city, you have to start somewhere. And with the Green Strategic Partnership, we laid the foundation for a very strategic, but also beyond bilateral relationship kind of cooperation. And we would like both sides to take it forward to make it much more tangible to deliver," he said.
The ambassador shared advice for companies, individuals, and nations, highlighting three guiding principles and emphasising the importance of maintaining a long-term perspective for achieving goals like "Vikasit Bharat" or "Vikasit Duniya," which he believes are essential for meaningful progress.
"I think my best advice is really to whether it's companies or individuals or even nations, if I may, and I like to quote my three one-liners: first and foremost, no cheating, no preaching... Instead, we should inspire you; that's the second one-liner... And the third and perhaps the most important thing is no day trading diplomacy. We can always find issues here, there, and everywhere...But as long as the long-term objective is the right one, Vikasit Bharat and perhaps Vikasit Duniya, then I think at least I have really spent all my resources and all my efforts to have the long-term perspective," Svane said.
The outgoing ambassador pointed out that the Green Strategic Partnership had also helped both countries in areas such as water, energy, green financing, and climate, with a focus on offshore wind energy.
Svane reflected on the success of the partnership, stating that it had served both India and Denmark well and also benefitted other regions. He noted that the partnership allowed both nations to use their competencies to address India's scale, speed, and sustainability goals.
"It has served us well, India, Denmark, but also beyond. I think we really made a very cutting-edge decision to embark on this partnership...With the green strategic partnership, we really focused on how we could take our competencies, what we are good at, the skills that our prime minister talked about, and how we could bring that to the scale of India, adding speed, scale, scope, and sustainability...There are four major tracks: water, energy, green financing, and climate. I think in all areas, we have done quite a significant thing. We are now really moving fast, big on offshore wind, which is the speciality," he added.