Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Store on his re-election, expressing hope for deeper collaboration between the two nations.

“Congratulations to Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store on his re-election. I look forward to continue working closely together to further strengthen the India-Norway partnership in all areas,” PM Modi wrote in a post on X.

Store’s Labour Party-led centre-left coalition secured a narrow majority in Monday’s general election, winning 87 of 169 seats in the Norwegian Parliament. The centre-right alliance led by the Progress Party and Conservatives claimed 82 seats. Despite the Progress Party’s surge, Store emphasized that the outcome highlighted the resilience of Social Democratic politics in Europe, according to Euro News.

PM Modi and Store had last met on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 2024, where they reviewed bilateral ties and welcomed the signing of the India-European Free Trade Association Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (India-EFTA TEPA). The pact is expected to significantly boost investment flows from EFTA nations, including Norway, into India.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, both leaders also held discussions on regional and global issues of mutual concern. They reaffirmed the importance of cooperation in renewable energy, blue economy, green hydrogen, solar and wind projects, geothermal energy, green shipping, fisheries, Carbon Capture Utilization & Storage (CCUS), space, and Arctic research.

With Norway playing a strong role in sustainable energy and environmental technologies, and India emerging as a major clean energy hub, the re-election of Store is expected to provide fresh momentum to the growing India-Norway partnership.