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Norway’s Minister of Health and Care Services, Jan Christian Vestre, participated in the Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS) as Guest of Honour, with Norway featured as this year’s Country of Focus. The visit underscored the growing depth of Norway–India cooperation across digital health, med-tech, innovation and emerging technologies.
Norway Highlights Digital Health and Innovation at BTS
At the Inaugural Session, Minister Vestre emphasised the power of digital health and technological innovation in strengthening the Norway–India partnership. He praised India’s rapid advancements in digitalisation—from health-tech to public digital infrastructure—and noted the strong potential for joint innovation.
Norway Country Session Showcases Tech Strengths
The Norway-led session, “Norway – Tech Solutions from the North: Medtech, Digitalization & Cyber Security,” brought together Norwegian companies and experts from med-tech, digitalisation and cybersecurity. The session facilitated engagement with Indian startups, industry leaders and government representatives, reinforcing Norway’s position as a leader in high-tech solutions.
High-Level Bilateral Engagements
Minister Vestre held a series of meetings with senior Indian leaders to deepen sectoral collaboration:
- Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda – discussed strengthening cooperation in global health, medical technology and resilient, inclusive healthcare systems.
- Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal – reflected on Norway and India’s work together on the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA).
- IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge (Karnataka) – explored opportunities within Karnataka’s vibrant innovation ecosystem, especially in emerging technologies.
- Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi – exchanged perspectives on public health, innovation and bilateral cooperation in Vestre’s capacity as Deputy Leader of the Norwegian Labour Party.
- Additional Secretary Abhishek Singh (MeitY) – discussed India’s rapidly evolving digital landscape and areas for collaboration.
- Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani – reviewed India’s pioneering public digital infrastructure and its relevance for global health and welfare frameworks.
The visit brought together key institutions including Innovation Norway, Norad, the Norwegian Digitalisation Agency, Sintef, DNV, Oivi, the Gjøvik region, and the Norway-India Chamber of Commerce & Industry, highlighting the broad engagement driving the Norway–India technology partnership forward.