NEW DELHI: Norway is skeptical about the US sanctions waiver that allows India to continue buying oil from Russia amid the escalating conflict in West Asia, Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik said, adding that the conflict must be settled through diplomatic means as it has “severe implications” for regional security and trade flows.
Most global problems cannot be discussed or solved without the participation of India, which has become more important as a trade and investment destination after the free trade agreement signed by the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which brings together Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, Krawiec said in an interview with HT.
Q: The Iran-US war has come closer to India after the sinking of an Iranian ship. How do Europe and Norway view these developments?
A: The last thing the Middle East needs now is another war, and this is a war between the United States, the greatest military power in the world, and Israel, a very strong military power, and Iran, also a military power. This is very unfortunate. Our sympathy lies first and foremost with the Iranian people. They have long suffered under a brutally oppressive authoritarian regime. Whatever the outcome of this war, we hope that they will finally be treated with dignity, that their human rights will be respected, and that Iran will at least be put on the path to democracy.
But we also expressed our concerns regarding the war. We have said that we do not believe that the war was started by the United States and Israel in a manner consistent with the United Nations Charter. We have mentioned that the way Iran responded by pursuing third countries indiscriminately is highly problematic from the standpoint of international law and must be condemned. On top of that, there are all these global ramifications in terms of market turmoil, slowing growth, and rising energy prices. There are only downsides to this. We hope that we can reach a diplomatic solution as soon as possible because this has serious implications on many issues.
Question: One of the issues being discussed is killing a head of state without declaring war, and some believe this further weakens the rules-based global order. Your thoughts?
A: Obviously there are additional concerns about the war spreading, now though [Iranian] The ship was hit – this just shows how out of control these things can get. So we have to find a way to get back to the negotiating table. There is a reason why this is at the forefront of the UN Charter – that states are obligated to try to resolve these disputes peacefully. This is something we believe should be taken seriously by both sides.
Q: How does Norway view the US offering a sanctions waiver to allow India to buy Russian oil, especially in the context of the war in Ukraine?
A: Our position on Russia and its aggressive war on Ukraine is very clear and unambiguous. We have condemned this to the fullest extent possible. It is a flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter, and has undermined the principle of territorial integrity and sovereignty. This has global ramifications, but it also has consequences for Europe. We were very determined to support Ukraine. We are one of the largest donors in terms of military, economic and political support and will continue to support Ukraine to the maximum extent possible.
We made every effort to impose sanctions on Russia. We believe that we need to do everything we can to undermine the Russian economy as long as the economy is geared towards undermining Ukrainian sovereignty. We will be skeptical about any development that allows Russia to sell its products and prosper and develop its economy, because we believe that this gives Russia more capabilities and capabilities to fight and undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Question: There are many expectations from the upcoming India-North Summit. What are your focus areas and big takeaways?
A: The India-North Summit will be a tremendous opportunity for us to discuss issues of mutual interest. We will discuss business opportunities, and how we can bring our organizations together to find solutions to global problems, produce new technology, and export in ways that benefit our populations.
Obviously, given India’s position in the global community, this will be an opportunity to discuss prominent geopolitical issues such as the war between the US and Israel, if it is still ongoing when this meeting is held, but other topics such as Israel, Palestine, Ukraine and Russia. We do not believe that any problem at this stage can be discussed, decided or resolved without India’s participation.
We would like to discuss WTO reform, and UN reform is another important topic… There will be important points and the outcome of this meeting will give direction to our relationship moving forward.
Trade agreement between India and the European Free Trade Association
Q: Now that the India-EFTA trade deal has been reached, what are the focus areas for bilateral relations in 2026?
A: We are [discussing] Various topics, one of which is economic fields. We have relatively recently concluded a free trade agreement with India which provides important opportunities for our trading community in Norway. I’m here to announce several Norwegian companies, what they can bring to the table and hear the views of their counterparts. The fact that we have been able to enter into such a framework is important for both countries because it gives predictability, strengthens and strengthens our relationship.
Q: Regarding the FTA, are there specific areas that you would like to get started quickly for Norway?
A: There are many topics – technology and industries related to the climate crisis and green technology are obviously important. We are still involved in extractive industries, but we recognize that we have to transform our economy, and we are in the process of doing so. Going forward, we want to partner with Indian stakeholders who have the experience and know-how to enable us to be more effective as we transition to a greener economy.
We look at the blue economy. We are a maritime nation and there are a lot of opportunities in the fisheries sector, for example, fisheries management. Salmon is one of the things that is now exported duty-free from Norway in the context of this free trade agreement.
Question: One of the elements of the India-EFTA free trade agreement is investments, and Norway is a major investor in its sovereign wealth fund. Is there anything you are looking at in India?
A: Sovereign wealth funds are not my specialty. These are decisions made by those responsible for the fund’s investments. Obviously, given the size of the Indian market, given the fact that India is growing at 7% to 8% a year, this provides a lot of investment opportunities… We have seen an uptick in private investments but also investments in the SWF context. We want to help facilitate this, but ultimately, these are decisions made by entities that you are not responsible for.
