Both countries could soon finalise a memorandum of understanding on migration and mobility – potentially this year – in education, information technology, and healthcare.
“Once in place, the MoU will provide a strong framework to support the mobility of students, skilled workers, researchers, entrepreneurs, healthcare professionals, and other specialists,” Kimmo Lähdevirta, Finnish ambassador to India, told The PIE News.
“India is an important partner for Finland, and we are hopeful about concluding the agreement soon, although I do not have a specific timeline at this stage.”
Sectors such as digitalisation and sustainability offer exciting opportunities for Finnish expertise to contribute to India’s growth
Kimmo Lähdevirta, Finnish ambassador to India
In December last year, Lähdevirta highlighted India as a “priority country” for Finland’s Talent Boost Program, an initiative by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, and the Ministry of Education and Culture to encourage education-based and work-based immigration to the country.
The new agreement would replace a declaration of intent signed between India and Finland in December 2022 in New Delhi. The previous agreement pledged to “examine pathways for regular migration”, encouraging labour mobility and fair working conditions in line with the demographic and labour market needs of both countries.
“The agreement will allow both countries to identify and explore emerging opportunities across other sectors. It creates a flexible framework that can evolve with changing economic needs, supporting deeper collaboration and knowledge exchange over time,” stated Lähdevirta.
Although over 2,000 Indian students are already studying in Finland, more than 20,000 Indians live there, and around 20 Indian companies operate in the country, the agreement will be “designed to be reciprocal in nature,” opening avenues for Finnish professionals, researchers, and companies to engage more actively with and in India, according to Lähdevirta.
“Sectors such as digitalisation and sustainability offer exciting opportunities for Finnish expertise to contribute to India’s growth. The goal is to build a two-way bridge that fosters mobility, collaboration, and innovation in both directions,” added the ambassador.
“At the same time, more than 100 Finnish companies are active in the Indian market, either through a physical presence or in collaboration with Indian partners, reflecting a strong and growing interest in India.”
Though the ambassador chose not to predict how many individuals would benefit from the mobility agreement each year, citing factors such as market dynamics and sectoral demand, he stated that the “current trends are promising”.
According to a report by the Daily Excelsior, the two countries, whose trade is valued at €3 billion (£2.60 bn), view the upcoming World Circular Economy Forum in India in Autumn 2026, held in collaboration with the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra and India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change, as a major opportunity to forge deeper ties between business organisations in both countries.
As international students look beyond traditional study destinations amid major policy and geopolitical shifts, Finland, the small yet consistently ranked “happiest country” in the world, aims to welcome 15,000 new students annually by 2030.
Nearly 23,000 international students currently study in Finland, majority of them coming from countries such as China, Russia, Vietnam, and India, as per recent statistics shared by the Finnish National Agency for Education.
While the European Union’s relationship with China has taken a tumultuous turn, marked by banking sanctions and concerns over its support to Russia amid the war in Ukraine, EU member Finland maintains a more trade-focused and academic approach towards the East Asian giant.
Apart from being one of the first Western nations to establish trade and diplomatic ties with China, Finland has signed a number of joint cooperation agreements with the country in areas such as education, environmental protection, agricultural and food products, and the circular economy.
Just last October, in the presence of Finnish President Cai-Göran Alexander Stubb, Tsinghua University signed an MoU with the China-Network of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) to facilitate greater student and faculty exchanges, a move seen as a major milestone in Sino-Finnish academic collaboration.
The country is starting to replicate a similar model in neighbouring India, maintaining its research and education-focused growth.
Finland has supported the development of K-12 schools and signed agreements with 23 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) for cooperation in higher education during the 2020-2025 period.
The country is also partnering with India’s private sector and state governments, including the Tata Group and the Punjab government, to develop new-age schools and train teachers in government institutions.
Speaking on the sidelines of the inauguration of the Finnish embassy’s honorary consulate in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, just last month, Lähdevirta said he is hopeful for an EU-India free trade agreement by the end of the year.
“An investment agreement and other related accords are equally important to deepen the relationship. I genuinely believe that India and Europe have much to offer each other, and strengthening this partnership would be mutually beneficial,” he had told The PIE back in December 2024.
