New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs Secretary (West), Sanjay Verma, co-chaired the India-Finland 12th Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) here in the national capital on Wednesday, said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

As per the MEA press statement, the Permanent State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Finland, Jukka Salovarra led the Finnish delegation.

During the FOC, both sides reviewed the bilateral relations between both nations, including political engagements, trade and investments, education, digital partnerships, sustainability partnership, mobility, cultural relations and people-to-people contacts.

The meeting also focused on multilateral cooperation, including the Arctic and reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

The MEA added that during the FOC, both sides used the occasion as an opportunity to exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest, including developments in the neighbourhood of India and Finland including Ukraine conflict.

Additionally, both sides agreed to hold the next round of Foreign Office Consultations at a mutually convenient time in Helsinki.

India and Finland enjoy close and friendly relations and have regular exchanges at both political and official levels. Year 2024 will be the 75th year of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and both sides decided to celebrate it in a befitting manner.

Earlier, the Ambassador of Finland to India Kimmo Lahdevirta said that over the decades, both India and Finland have seen a significant deepening of the relationship in different sectors, including trade, technology, education and culture.

While explaining the India-Finland relationship in terms of tourism, he said, "People-to-people contacts...are very important and tourism...also, we have direct flights between Helsinki and India by Finnair which of course facilitates these exchanges very much."

He further expressed hope towards the growing relationship between the two countries in technologies.

"I would say that looking ahead we really see immense potential for the development of relationships especially in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, 5G, 6G, new green technologies, energy solutions, biofuels and other research and product development to combat which is linked to sustainable development are something of significance," Lahdevirta had said.