Norwegian Week to see consulate general's reopening

Starting with Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen's works, the second edition of the Norwegian Week that kicked off in Mumbai over the weekend will also witness the reopening of consulate general (CG) here and seminars on exploring business opportunities in ocean and seafood industries.

Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Borge Brende will inaugurate the consulate general in Mumbai in the presence of Norwegian ambassador Nils Ragnar Kamsvag, and consul general Torbjorn Holthe at Trident hotel at Bandra Kurla Complex on November 3, an official communication said.

The re-opening will make official Norwegian presence in Mumbai, the youngest and oldest at the same time as the previous Norwegian CG in Mumbai was built in 1857 and was operational till 1973, the statement added.

The three-day Ibsen festival from October 24-26 that marked the beginning of the Norwegian Week concludes on Monday with a seminar on the art and challenges of working with Ibsen's texts.

With a view to exploring trading relations between the two countries, seminars on the ocean and seafood industries will also be held during the Norwegian Week.

Shipping relations between Norway and India are more than 150 years old. Driven by increased partnerships in areas like oil and gas, and shipping and maritime industries, trade between India and Norway has grown significantly.

The successful cooperation between India's Reliance Industries and Norwegian oil services company Aker Solutions for the development of the first ever deep-water gas field off the eastern coast of India has shown how collaboration in this field could potentially change the oil and gas scenario in India.

India's coastline is over 7,000 km long, which makes it the second largest aquaculture producer in the world.

But it still has a huge potential when it comes to expanding its fishing fleet, and its marine regulatory framework, where Norwegian technology and expertise can contribute to growth, especially in the areas of deep-sea fishing, according to a research conducted by Norwegian Seafood Council.