Norway Vows to Back India's Disaster Resilience Push

As of October 15th, 2025, Norway's ambassador to India, May-Elin Stener, has expressed the country's readiness to support India's efforts in addressing natural disasters. The recent devastating floods and landslides have been a priority, and Norway is eager to contribute its expertise.

Stener highlighted successful tunneling projects in Uttarakhand and Sikkim, where the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute's technology has been applied to build durable infrastructure that can withstand the challenges of the Himalayan region. There has also been interest from Kerala in utilizing this technology.

Beyond disaster resilience, the India-Norway partnership is tackling other environmental challenges. The two countries are collaborating on the Marine Pollution Initiative, which focuses on cleaning up plastics from beaches and oceans, as well as analyzing water quality. Additionally, they are supporting the Union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry with Marine Spatial Planning to manage their offshore regions effectively.

As the 30th Conference of Parties (COP30) approaches in Brazil, the Norwegian ambassador expressed hope for meaningful outcomes in the negotiations. Norway is committed to doubling its climate financing by next year, with a focus on funding for climate adaptation. The ambassador stressed the need for concrete action to keep the 1.5-degree goal within reach.