This article covers the political relationship between India and Finland: the establishment of diplomatic relations, visits at the level of heads of state, heads of government and foreign ministers, and the parliamentary and official mechanisms through which the two countries engage. It is based on the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) bilateral brief of June 2026.

Establishment of relations and the Strategic Partnership

Diplomatic relations between India and Finland were established in 1949, and 2024 marked the 75th anniversary of their establishment. The MEA brief of June 2026 states that the two countries have traditionally enjoyed warm and friendly relations. It adds that in recent years the relationship has acquired diversity through collaboration in research, innovation and investments by both sides.

India-Finland relations were elevated to a Strategic Partnership in Digitalization and Sustainability during the visit of President Alexander Stubb to India in March 2026.

Visits by heads of state

Visits by Presidents of India to Finland:

  • President Shri Pranab Mukherjee, October 2014
  • President Shri R. Venkataraman, 1988
  • President Shri V.V. Giri, 1971

Visits by Presidents of Finland to India:

  • President Dr. Alexander Stubb, 04-07 March 2026
  • President Mrs. Tarja Halonen, February 2012, February 2009 and January 2007
  • President Mr. Martti Ahtisaari, 1996
  • President Mr. Mauno Koivisto, 1987
  • President Mr. Urho Kekkonen, 1965

Visits by heads of government

Prime Ministers of India who visited Finland were Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru in 1957, Smt. Indira Gandhi in 1983 and Pt. Manmohan Singh in 2006.

Visits by Prime Ministers of Finland to India:

  • Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, 17-20 February 2026, to attend the AI Impact Summit
  • Prime Minister Mr. Juha Sipilä, February 2016, for Make in India week
  • Prime Minister Mr. Matti Vanhanen, March 2006, February 2008 and February 2010, the last two to attend the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit
  • Prime Minister Mr. Kalevi Sorsa, 1984
  • Prime Minister Mr. Vieno Johannes Sukselainen, 1960

Other meetings between leaders

On 16 March 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Sanna Marin held a bilateral summit in a virtual format. The two leaders also met in Copenhagen on the sidelines of the 2nd India-Nordic Summit on 4 May 2022. Earlier, Prime Minister Modi met Prime Minister Juha Sipilä on the sidelines of the First India-Nordic Summit in Stockholm on 17 April 2018.

The brief lists more recent contacts:

  • 11 February 2025: the Prime Minister of India and PM Petteri Orpo joined the table company at the dinner of the AI Summit held in Paris.
  • 16 April 2025: the Prime Minister of India held a telephone conversation with President Stubb, following a request from the Finnish side.
  • 27 August 2025: PM Narendra Modi received a telephone call from President Stubb.
  • November 2025: the Prime Minister of India and President Stubb met on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.
  • 19 May 2026: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Petteri Orpo met on the sidelines of the 3rd India-Nordic Summit in Oslo.

Foreign ministers

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar visited Finland on 11-12 June to take part in the Kultaranta Talks 2026, in a panel discussion on "Emerging Powers and the New Geopolitical Competition". During the visit he held bilateral meetings with President Stubb and Foreign Minister Valtonen.

Dr. Jaishankar had earlier visited Finland from 19-21 September 2019 on the occasion of 70 Years of diplomatic relations and the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Shri Jaswant Singh, then External Affairs Minister, visited Finland in December 1999 for the 12th EU Troika Ministerial Meeting.

Finnish Foreign Ministers who visited India include:

  • Ms. Elina Valtonen, February 2024, to attend the Raisina Dialogue and commemorate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations
  • Mr. Pekka Haavisto, November 2019
  • Mr. Timo Soini, 22-24 November 2017, for the fourth Global Conference on Cyber Security (GCCS) in New Delhi
  • Dr. Erkki Tuomioja, May 2013

During Ms. Valtonen's visit on 21 and 22 February 2024, she and Dr. Jaishankar unveiled a joint logo to commemorate 75 years of diplomatic relations.

Other contacts between foreign ministers

  • 15 February 2025: Dr. Jaishankar and President Stubb joined a conversation on "Exception and Exceptionalism: Deciphering the 2025 World Order" at the Munich Security Conference.
  • 30 August 2025: Dr. Jaishankar held a telephone conversation with FM Elina Valtonen.
  • March 2026: Dr. Jaishankar had an informal exchange with Ms. Valtonen during his visit to Brussels for the Foreign Affairs Council meeting.

In 2022, Dr. Jaishankar had four interactions with the then Foreign Minister, Pekka Haavisto. These were a telephone conversation on 19 January 2022 on bilateral issues, the situation in Afghanistan and working together as members of UNHRC; a meeting on 19 February 2022 on the margins of the Munich Security Conference; a meeting on 23 September 2022 on the sidelines of the UNGA in New York; and a telephone conversation on 5 October 2022 on the multilateral agenda.

Shri M.J. Akbar, Minister of State for External Affairs, visited Finland from 5-7 November 2017.

Foreign Office Consultations

According to the MEA brief of June 2026, Foreign Office Consultations on bilateral, regional and multilateral issues are held regularly. The 13th FOC was held in Helsinki on 06 November 2025, led by Mr. Sibi George, Secretary (West), and Mr. Jukka Salovaara, Finland's Permanent Secretary of State.

Parliamentary exchanges

Speakers of the Lok Sabha who visited Finland include Ms. Sumitra Mahajan, who visited Helsinki on June 17-18, 2018 accompanied by six Members of Parliament. Earlier visits were made by Mr. Somnath Chatterjee (June 2006), Mr. Manohar Joshi (2003), Mr. P.A. Sangma (1997), Mr. Balram Jhakar (1986) and Mr. G.S. Dhillon (1957).

From Finland, Speaker of Parliament Mr. Eero Heinäluoma visited India in April 2012. A Finance Committee delegation led by Mr. Johannes Koskinen visited from 23-27 February 2020, and an Environment Committee delegation visited on 19-26 November 2023.

As of the brief, the Finnish Parliament had a Parliamentary Friendship Group (PFG) for India for the period 2023-26, comprising 22 Members.