Helsinki, Jun 11 (PTI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday held talks with his Finnish counterpart Elina Valtonen on India-Finland strategic partnership and discussed cooperation across a range of emerging technology sectors.

“Agreed to deepen trade & investment, while maintaining the momentum of our political engagement,” Jaishankar posted on social media.

The two ministers discussed collaboration on startups, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, critical minerals, quantum technologies, 6G, clean energy and space, according to the post.

“Finland and India have excellent bilateral relations,” Valtonen reiterated in a social media post after meeting Jaishankar. “We will continue deepening our trade ties and see significant potential in digitalisation and sustainability.”

The meeting comes months after India and Finland elevated their bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership in digitalisation and sustainability during Finnish President Alexander Stubb’s visit to India earlier this year.

During that visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Stubb had announced the partnership, with Modi noting that relations between India and Europe were entering a “golden era,” a sentiment which was further reinforced by the conclusion of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement in January.

The deal, concluded after nearly two decades of negotiations, covers a market of two billion people and roughly a quarter of the global GDP.

Following the bilateral meeting, Jaishankar is scheduled to attend the 14th edition of the Kultaranta Talks, themed “A World in Transition: Global, Regional and Local Perspectives”, and engage with Finnish leadership and other participants. The annual dialogue, hosted by the Finnish president, brings together senior leaders and policymakers to discuss global and regional security challenges. PTI FHK ABD  ABD