India and Denmark

• 05 May 2022

For Prelims: Global Digital Health Partnership, World Trade Organization, International Solar Alliance, Arctic Council.

For Mains: Green Strategic Partnership, India-Denmark Ties, Antimicrobial Resistance, Global Digital Health Partnership.

Why in News?

During the Indian Prime Minister's Visit to Denmark, India and Denmark agreed to further strengthen the Green Strategic Partnership with a focus on green hydrogen, renewable energy and wastewater management.

• Further, India conveyed its acceptance of the Danish invitation to join the International Center for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions (ICARS) as a Mission Partner.
• The Danish Prime Minister confirmed Danish accession to the Global Digital Health Partnership on India’s invitation to improve public health and well-being through evidence-based digital technologies.

What is the Status of India-Denmark Ties? 

Background: The diplomatic relations between India and Denmark, established in September 1949, are marked by regular high-level exchanges.

• Both countries share historical links, common democratic traditions and a shared desire for regional, as well as international peace and stability.
• Bilateral relations were elevated to the level of “Green Strategic Partnership” during the Virtual Summit held in 2020.

What is Green Strategic Partnership?

• The Green Strategic Partnership is a mutually beneficial arrangement to advance political cooperation, expand economic relations and green growth, create jobs, and strengthen cooperation on addressing global challenges and opportunities; with a focus on an ambitious implementation of the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
• India and Denmark both have ambitious goals within the climate agenda.
• India is the world’s third-largest CO2 emitter and by 2030, the country is expected to have doubled its carbon emissions.
• The Danish government has the ambition to reduce CO2 emissions by 70% by 2030 and aims to undertake international leadership on SDG 7 on affordable and clean energy.
• By partnering, India and Denmark will demonstrate to the world that delivering on ambitious climate and sustainable energy goals is possible.

• Commercial and Economic Relations: Bilateral trade in goods and services between India and Denmark has grown by 78%, from USD 2.8 billion in 2016 to USD 5 billion in 2021.
  • The major export items from India to Denmark are textiles, apparels and yarns related, vehicles and components, metal goods, iron and steel, footwear, and travel goods.
  • Major Danish exports to India are medicinal/pharmaceutical goods, power generating machinery, industrial machinery, metal waste and ore, and organic chemicals.
• Cultural Exchange: India's 75th Independence Day was celebrated in Copenhagen with a great enthusiasm with a flag hoisting ceremony and vibrant Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations, attended by a large number of the diaspora.
  • Indian community in Denmark include IT professionals, doctors and engineers.
  • Important streets and public places have been named after Indian leaders which include the Gandhi Plaene (Gandhi Park), Copenhagen and a Nehru Road near Aarhu University in Aarhus.

International Center for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions (ICARS)

• The idea of an international independent research and knowledge centre focusing on intervention and implementation research in low- and middle-income countries was fostered through talks between Denmark and the World Bank during fall of 2017 and spring 2018.
• At a meeting in March 2018, it was agreed that there was an unmet need in this area, and that it was important to pursue the idea further, exploring whether Denmark could initiate and host such a centre given its long history of working in One Health.
• In November 2018, the Danish Government formally announced its ambition to establish ICARS.

Global Digital Health Partnership

• The Global Digital Health Partnership (GDHP) is an international collaboration of governments, government agencies and multinational organisations dedicated to improving the health and well-being of their citizens through the best use of evidence-based digital technologies.
• It was established in February 2018, to provide an opportunity for transformational engagement between its participants.
• Australia was the host country for the inaugural summit in 2018.
• The ‘4th Global Digital Health Partnership Summit’ was held in February, 2019 in New Delhi.

Way Forward

Cooperation at Multilateral Forum: India and Denmark have shared values of human rights, democracy, and rule of law and they should cooperate in multilateral fora like the World Trade Organization, International Solar Alliance, Arctic Council to advance democracy and human rights and promote a rule-based multilateral system.

Source: TH