Finland’s Stubb begins four-day India visit

Finnish President Alexander Stubb arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday to begin a four-day state visit aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation between Finland and India. The visit focuses on trade, investment and critical technology, and is expected to deepen ties that both governments describe as warm and rooted in shared democratic values.

Stubb was received at the airport with a ceremonial welcome and Guard of Honour. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh welcomed him on arrival, underscoring the importance New Delhi attaches to the visit. The Finnish president is accompanied by a high-level delegation of ministers, senior officials and business leaders.

On Thursday, Stubb is scheduled to hold formal talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The discussions will focus on bolstering cooperation across a wide spectrum of areas, including trade, investment and critical technologies. Regional and global issues of mutual interest, with the crisis in West Asia expected to figure prominently, will also be on the agenda.

Following the talks, the two sides are expected to finalise a number of Memoranda of Understanding to enhance collaboration in several sectors. Before departing Helsinki, Stubb said the visit would further strengthen Finland–India relations, particularly in the area of trade.

During the visit, Stubb will also meet President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President C P Radhakrishnan. The series of high-level meetings underscores the state nature of the trip and its focus on long-term partnership building.

Stubb will serve as the chief guest and keynote speaker at the inaugural session of the Raisina Dialogue 2026 in New Delhi on Thursday evening. Prime Minister Modi said he looked forward to the meeting and keynote address, adding that Stubb’s visit would take India–Finland relations to new heights.

India’s External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the relationship as warm and friendly, and said the trip would impart further energy to the partnership. Stubb’s presence at the flagship foreign policy conference highlights the broader regional and global dimension of the engagement.

Economic and innovation ties form a major strand of the visit. Stubb’s delegation includes business leaders, and he will travel to Mumbai on Friday to meet several Indian business figures, with an eye on expanding trade and investment links.

The current visit follows that of Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, who travelled to New Delhi weeks earlier for the AI Impact Summit. The back-to-back high-level engagements indicate sustained efforts by both countries to build cooperation in advanced technologies and other emerging areas.

Stubb is scheduled to conclude his India visit on Saturday, wrapping up four days of political dialogue, economic outreach and participation in multilateral discussions at the Raisina Dialogue.