Waterways will make Mumbai a smarter city, says Marianne Hagen, deputy foreign minister of Norway

Marianne Hagen, deputy foreign minister of Norway, said financing and promoting sustainable use of the oceans is very important for both Norway and India. Hagen, who covers WTO, free trade agreements and humanitarian aid in her portfolio and is also in charge of the internationalisation of business and culture, tells Ketan Vaidya in an interview that Norway can help Indian companies reach sustainable development goals. Edited excerpts of the interview

How has been your India visit so far? What is your broad agenda?

India is one of the most important countries. It is one of the largest economies today and large in terms of the population. Hence, it is important for everyone including for Norway. The two main pillars of Norway’s India strategy is one – working together with India and second - strengthening the bilateral conversation in terms of WTO, bilateral trade, climate change and most importantly these days co-operation in the oceans. Financing the ocean economy and promoting sustainable use of the oceans is very important for both Norway and India. The second pillar is the commercial bilateral and the business side. And, hence I am in Mumbai. It is one of the regions in the world with high growth. It is the right place to be in and right time representing commercial issues.

What were the highlights of your Mumbai tour?

We started off the meeting with the port authorities here i.e. the Mumbai Port Trust and the Maharashtra Maritime Board looking at how they are going to develop the coastline and the harbor. That is because Norway has a long coastline and we have been seafarers forever. We are all about the oceans. Using the ocean resources and using the ocean as a fortress, the Norwegian maritime industry is at the forefront at the edge of the maritime technology. We have harsh conditions, and undertake oil and gas production under difficult conditions. We have very strong environmental standards. So, we have developed our marine frontiers technologically and also have very strong environmental standards. So, I think we have a lot to offer when it comes to not just doing business but doing a sustainable, environmentally friendly business.

Maritime is big and emerging in Mumbai. Connecting Mumbai through the sea to tourist places is one narrative. Given the population of Mumbai and the strained infrastructure, there is a great scope for maritime transport. So, how do you think India can be part of the Norwegian initiative?

We have invited our partners to no shipping which was one of the biggest events for our maritime partners to meet in Oslo and we will have further discussions. But I think, we want to have real discussions on the infrastructure of harbors and ferries done in a sustainable and efficient way to move traffic away from your congested roads and on to the seaways. I think that is the way forward. In Norway, we have developed electric and autonomous ferries. 

So, have you informed the Indian authorities of ways Norwegian companies can offer help? There is a metro being built from the city to suburbs. What are your learnings on public transport that you would like to exchange?

I know you are going to build a new subway(metro) which is going to be very impressive and that is a huge step forward. There are all kinds of civic infrastructure like sewage, trains, waterways, and subways, which is going to make Mumbai a smarter and a better city. I am sure Norwegian companies will have knowledge and expertise to contribute.

The Norwegian wealth fund is one of the prominent wealth funds investing in India. What are your plans for India investments ?

The Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund is likely to be one of India’s single largest foreign investors. Its investments here amounted to $12 billion in 2017. We expect the volume to increase.

How can India-Norway tackle the job generation challenge in India?

It is a huge challenge in India, Africa and poor parts of Asia as well. Job creation is the key to a prosperous future for all us. We are fighting corruption and what Norway can do is help companies that can help India reach sustainable development goals.