PM Modi vows to support end war in Middle East, Ukraine

By R Anil Kumar

OSLO, May 19, 2026. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, May 19, vowed to work with Nordic allies to end conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East and defend the “rules-based global order”.

Speaking at a summit in Oslo, PM Modi – a close ally of US President Donald Trump – said his and the Nordic leaders’ commitment to democracy and multilateralism made them “natural partners”.

US President Donald Trump has spoken of efforts to end the wars but has also sown uneasiness among European allies by challenging pillars of the post-war order, notably the NATO military alliance.

He sparked uproar by threatening to take over Greenland, a Danish autonomous territory.

Denmark joined in the India-Nordic summit hosted by Norway, which also brought together the leaders from Sweden, Finland and Iceland.

“In these times of global tensions and conflict, India and Nordic countries will together continue to focus on a rules-based global order,” Modi told reporters.

“Whether it is Ukraine or West Asia (Middle East), we will continue to support an early end to the conflict and efforts for peace.”

PM Modi calls for ‘earliest resolution’ of Ukraine, West Asia conflicts at Oslo summit:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India and the Nordic countries shared “a clear and united stand on terrorism: no compromise, no double standards”.

Addressing a joint press interaction after the 3rd India-Nordic Summit in Oslo, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted growing convergence between India and the Nordic countries on global security and governance issues.

He said that both sides shared “a clear and united stand on terrorism: no compromise, no double standards.”

“In this era of global tensions and conflicts, we will continue to work together to strengthen the rules-based global order,” he said, adding that both sides supported “the earliest resolution of conflicts and efforts towards peace” in Ukraine and West Asia.

Calling the Nordic countries “natural partners”, Modi said the relationship was anchored in “democracy, the rule of law and multilateralism”. He also pressed for reforms in global institutions, saying changes in multilateral bodies were “necessary and urgent”.

India and the five Nordic nations also unveiled a new “Green Technology and Innovation Strategic Partnership” at the 3rd India-Nordic Summit in Oslo.

PM Modi and his counterparts pledged a deeper collaboration in clean energy, sustainability, digital innovation and emerging technologies amid growing global instability.

Modi said the partnership would combine “innovation with scale and talent” to drive sustainable growth and trusted technologies.

“Today, we decided to elevate India-Nordic relations to a Green Technology and Innovation Strategic Partnership. With this green technology partnership, we will ensure a better future for the entire world,” Modi said.

The summit brought together Modi and the leaders of Iceland, Finland, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, reflecting what the Prime Minister’s Office described as the “expanding scope and growing strength” of India’s engagement with the Nordic region.

A major focus of the summit was economic cooperation. Modi noted that Nordic investment in India had risen nearly 200 per cent over the past decade, while trade and investment flows were creating jobs and strengthening growth on both sides.

He highlighted the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement involving Norway and Iceland, as well as the proposed India-EU Free Trade Agreement covering Denmark, Finland and Sweden.

“With these ambitious trade agreements, we are ushering in a new golden era in relations between India and the Nordic countries,” he said.

On the sidelines of the summit, Modi held separate bilateral meetings with Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. Discussions covered renewable energy, digitalisation, AI, 5G and 6G technologies, geothermal energy, Arctic cooperation and mobility partnerships.

“India deeply values the friendship with Iceland,” Modi said after meeting Frostadottir, praising Iceland’s expertise in the Blue Economy and geothermal energy sectors.

In a lighter moment, Modi pointed to a linguistic similarity between Hindi and Nordic languages around the word “relationship”. “This is not just a similarity of words. It reflects the closeness of our thoughts,” he said.

Standing alongside him, Denmark’s outgoing Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned the “rules-based world order” was under pressure.

“Unfortunately the old world order is changing rapidly and it’s not going in the right direction,” she said.

Economic ties between India and the Nordic countries have been strengthening, notably in technology exchanges.

India, the world’s most populous country, represents a big market and one hungry for investment.

Bilateral trade has nearly quadrupled over the past decade, Modi said.

“In today’s world … people need a sense of hope that unlike countries in some aspects can come together” in dialogue and trade, said Iceland’s Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir.

Modi also announced a “green strategic partnership” with the Nordic countries, following a similar agreement announced with Norway a day earlier.

PM Modi is set to conclude his tour with a visit to Italy, where he will meet with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on May 20.