India and Norway have strengthened their strategic partnership in science, technology and innovation with the signing of five major agreements during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Norway, aimed at expanding collaboration in clean energy, offshore wind, sustainability, geosciences and academic research.
The agreements were signed in Oslo by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) with leading Norwegian research, academic and industrial institutions.
The collaborations were led by N. Kalaiselvi along with senior representatives from Norwegian partner organisations. The Ministry of Science & Technology said the agreements are intended to deepen bilateral cooperation in research, innovation, technology development and sustainable growth.
One of the key agreements was a Memorandum of Understanding between DSIR/CSIR and the Research Council of Norway to promote cooperation in research, innovation, technology development and capacity building. The agreement envisages joint workshops, collaborative research and development projects, exchange visits of scientists and programme-based cooperation in areas linked to climate, clean energy, oceans and healthcare.
CSIR also signed a collaboration agreement for 2026–2029 with SINTEF, Norway’s leading independent research organisation, under an existing framework established in 2014. The partnership will focus on circular economy and sustainability-related initiatives, including bio-based materials, innovation hubs, ocean energy, offshore wind, carbon capture, storage and waste valorisation.
In another major development, a project-specific collaboration agreement was signed between several CSIR institutes and SINTEF institutions for cooperation in ocean energy and offshore wind energy technologies. The programme will focus on floating offshore wind technologies, reducing energy costs, sustainability standards, pilot demonstrations, skill development and industrial growth.
The participating Indian institutions include CSIR-Structural Engineering Research Centre, CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories, CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography and CSIR-Fourth Paradigm Institute. Norwegian partners include SINTEF Ocean, SINTEF Digital, FME NorthWind and SINTEF Community. The CSIR funding support for the project is estimated at around ₹3.41 crore.
A Joint Declaration of Intent titled “Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation for the Green Shift” was also signed between CSIR, the Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. The agreement focuses on sustainability, circular economy, ocean science, healthcare and infrastructure engineering while promoting student and faculty exchanges, joint research and academic collaboration.
Additionally, CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with Emerald Geomodelling for collaboration in geoscience-based solutions for infrastructure projects in India. The partnership will include joint research projects, geophysical surveys, data modelling, technical advisory support and scientific training programmes.
The Ministry said the agreements mark a significant milestone in India-Norway cooperation and are expected to strengthen long-term institutional partnerships while promoting innovation-led sustainable development in both countries.
