India and Finland Step Forward In Strategic Partnership, Discuss Ukraine Peace and EU Trade Pact

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finnish President Alexander Stubb held a crucial phone conversation on Wednesday, reaffirming mutual commitment to global peace efforts--particularly in war-torn Ukraine--and deepening bilateral cooperation across trade, technology, and sustainability.

Image Source: Siddharth on X

The exchange, which both leaders described as “good” and “productive,” comes amid intensifying international efforts to mediate a peaceful resolution to the ongoing Ukraine conflict. 

President Stubb updated Modi on recent high-level consultations in Washington, underlining the urgency of a “just and lasting solution” to the war.

“Ending the war is in all our interests—it’s a shared goal,” President Stubb said in a social media post following the call, praising India’s global diplomatic credibility across the Global South, West, and East.

Prime Minister Modi, for his part, emphasized India’s position as a trusted interlocutor in international diplomacy. 

“Finland is a valued partner in the EU,” Prime Minister Modi noted. 

“We discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in key sectors such as trade, technology, and sustainability, and exchanged perspectives on the ongoing efforts for peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine.”

The leaders also voiced strong support for advancing the long-stalled India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which both sides see as a strategic economic bridge in an increasingly multipolar world. 

The FTA has gained renewed momentum this year, as India seeks to expand its trade footprint amid global supply chain realignments.

India and Finland have seen increasing synergy in areas like clean energy, Arctic research, digital innovation, and education. 

Wednesday’s conversation marked another step in solidifying their roles as like-minded partners committed to multilateralism, sustainability, and rule-based global order.

While both sides stopped short of announcing new initiatives, officials suggested that groundwork is being laid for in-person meetings in upcoming multilateral forums, including the India-EU Leaders’ Meeting and potential engagements at the UN General Assembly.

With geopolitical tensions escalating and new diplomatic alignments taking shape, the Modi-Stubb dialogue shows a quiet but determined push by middle powers to steer global discourse towards dialogue, development, and durable peace.