**Executive Summary**
The 3rd Session of the India–Norway Dialogue on Trade and Investment (DTI) was held on 16 April 2026 in New Delhi to review bilateral trade growth and the implementation of the India–EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA). The session emphasized a shared goal of attracting US$ 100 billion in investment to India and creating one million direct jobs over 15 years. Key upcoming milestones include the Prosperity Summit on 1 October 2026 and the next DTI session scheduled for 2028 in Norway.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **TEPA Implementation and Investment Goals**
* The dialogue marked the first DTI session since the India-EFTA TEPA entered into force on 1 October 2025.
* Both nations reaffirmed the objective for EFTA states to promote US$ 100 billion in investment into India over a 15-year period.
* An "EFTA Desk" has been established under Invest India to provide dedicated support to EFTA businesses.
* **Trade Growth and Market Access**
* India’s exports to Norway reached US$ 439 million in 2025, while services exports stood at US$ 876 million in 2024.
* TEPA provides duty-free access for various Indian agricultural and allied products, including rice, vegetables, nuts, honey, marine products, and floriculture.
* Both sides agreed to diversify trade and intensify efforts to build resilient supply chains and energy security.
* **Sectoral Cooperation**
* **Energy:** Collaborative focus on offshore technologies, renewable energy, green hydrogen, and low-carbon solutions.
* **Maritime:** Emphasis on the digitization of port operations and sustainable shipping practices.
* **Other Sectors:** Joint interest in pharmaceuticals, biotech, tourism, skill development, mobility, and the medical sector.
* **Regulatory and Technical Barriers**
* Discussions focused on reducing compliance costs and addressing trade barriers such as sanitary and phytosanitary measures.
* Efforts are being made to streamline product registration, certification requirements, and regulatory frameworks.
* The nations aim to establish mutually agreed mechanisms for origin certification.
**Impact Analysis**
**Indian Exporters (Agriculture, MSMEs, and Women Entrepreneurs)**
* **Impact:** These stakeholders gain significant opportunities to participate in global value chains through duty-free access to Norwegian markets for agricultural and marine products.
* **Action Required:** Exporters must ensure products meet specific Norwegian registration and certification requirements to benefit from tariff reductions.
**Norwegian Investors and Businesses**
* **Impact:** Enhanced investment opportunities in India’s renewable energy and infrastructure sectors, supported by active promotion from the Government Pension Fund Global and Norfund.
* **Action Required:** Businesses should utilize the newly established EFTA Desk under Invest India and participate in upcoming industry exchanges and business missions.
**Government and Regulatory Bodies**
* **Impact:** Both governments are tasked with maintaining the momentum of the TEPA through high-level participation and regular monitoring.
* **Action Required:** Regulators must engage in regular quarterly consultations to address trade barriers and prepare for the 2028 DTI session in Norway.
Key Entities Referenced
India–EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA): A comprehensive trade agreement between India and EFTA states targeting US$ 100 billion in investment and the creation of 1 million jobs over 15 years.
India–Norway Dialogue on Trade and Investment (DTI): The bilateral institutional forum used to review trade growth, address regulatory barriers, and oversee the implementation of the TEPA framework.
European Free Trade Association (EFTA): The intergovernmental organization comprising Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, which entered into a strategic economic partnership with India.
Invest India: The national investment promotion agency that established a dedicated EFTA Desk to facilitate and support business interests from EFTA member states.
Ministry of Commerce and Industry: The primary Indian government body co-chairing the dialogue and responsible for negotiating and managing bilateral trade and investment policies.
Ministry of Commerce & Industry
India and Norway hold 3rd Session of Dialogue
on Trade and Investment; underscore TEPA’s role
in strengthening bilateral economic ties
India–Norway Dialogue reviews trade growth, explores
investment, energy and sectoral cooperation opportunities
Posted On: 17 APR 2026 6:55PM by PIB Delhi
The 3rd Session of the India–Norway Dialogue on Trade and Investment (DTI) was held in New Delhi on
16 April 2026. The session was co-chaired by Shri Mohit Yadav, Joint Secretary, Department of
Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, and Ms Nina Christine Rør,
Director General, Department of Trade Policy, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, Government of
Norway. This was the first session of the DTI held after the entry into force of the India–EFTA Trade and
Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) on 1 October 2025, and both sides underlined the importance of
TEPA in advancing economic cooperation between India and Norway.
It may be recalled that Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal, referring to Prime
Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s remarks on the India–EFTA TEPA, has said that the agreement reflects a
steadfast commitment to shared prosperity and to building a stronger and more inclusive partnership
among the participating countries.
India and Norway reviewed the global and domestic economic outlook, noting the need for resilient
supply chains, energy security, climate transition, and stronger trade and investment linkages in a period of
geopolitical uncertainty. Both sides agreed to intensify efforts to diversify trade and promote mutually
beneficial business initiatives.
Bilateral trade between India and Norway has continued to grow in recent years. India’s exports to
Norway rose from US$ 270 million in 2014 to US$ 439 million in 2025, reflecting an average annual
growth rate of about 5 per cent. India’s services exports to Norway stood at US$ 876 million in 2024,
highlighting the growing role of services in the bilateral economic partnership.
The duty-free access secured under TEPA for a range of agricultural and allied products in Norway has
significance beyond trade expansion and opens space for women entrepreneurs, MSMEs, farmers,
fishermen, and innovation-driven businesses to participate more deeply in export value chains, including
products such as rice, vegetables, nuts, fruit preparations, honey, marine products, and floriculture.
During the Dialogue, both sides reaffirmed their commitments under the India–EFTA TEPA and discussed
early opportunities emerging from its implementation, noting that the Agreement offers a framework for
stronger trade, investment, technology collaboration, capacity building, and deeper business partnerships,
along with the shared objective for EFTA States to promote US$ 100 billion in investment into India over
15 years and facilitate the creation of 1 million direct jobs, while India highlighted the establishment of an
EFTA Desk under Invest India to support EFTA businesses.Both sides also took stock of specific issues relevant to TEPA implementation, including tariff reduction
benefits and the need to address trade and investment barriers such as sanitary and phytosanitary
measures, product registration and certification requirements, regulatory frameworks, compliance costs,
and origin certification through mutually agreed mechanisms.
Sectoral cooperation was explored across energy, skill development and mobility, maritime cooperation,
pharmaceuticals and biotech, tourism, and MSMEs, including discussions on oil and gas, offshore
technologies, renewable energy, green hydrogen, low-carbon solutions, digitization of port operations,
sustainable shipping practices, and enhanced collaboration in services, education, and medical sectors.
The Norwegian side informed that it is actively promoting TEPA and investment opportunities in India to
its business community and highlighted growing investment interest, including through the Government
Pension Fund Global and Norfund’s investments in renewable energy projects, with both sides agreeing to
intensify high-level visits, industry exchanges, and business missions.
Both sides welcomed the forthcoming commemoration of the first anniversary of TEPA during Prosperity
Summit 2026 on 1 October 2026 and agreed to ensure high-level participation, while also deciding to
address trade and business issues through regular quarterly consultations and to hold the next DTI session
in Norway in 2028 on a mutually agreed date.
The 3rd Session of the India–Norway DTI reaffirmed India’s commitment to building a dynamic and
future-oriented economic partnership with Norway, grounded in trust, innovation, sustainability, and
shared prosperity, while laying the basis for deeper cooperation between India and the EFTA countries.
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Abhishek Dayal/Abhijit Narayanan/Garima Singh
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