India-Finland Deepen Defence Production Partnership, Expand Cooperation in Space and Quantum Technologies

Nearly a month after the announcment of “mother of all deals” – Indi-EU Free Trade Agreement – and signing several MoUs with France, India is working to bolster its defence ties with another EU country. India and Finland have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening defence production ties.

Along with giving boost to their defence production ties, New Delhi and Helsinki are also advancing cooperation in high-technology domains, including space and quantum computing, marking a significant boost to India’s expanding global defence engagement.

The latest discussions signal a strategic push to move beyond conventional defence trade and into next-generation technologies that are increasingly shaping modern warfare and security architectures.

How are India and Finland expanding defence ties?

Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh met Finland’s Special Envoy of Technology at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Antti Vasara, in New Delhi, where both sides reviewed progress under the India–Finland Joint Coordination Group.

According to the Defence Ministry, the talks focused on enhancing bilateral defence cooperation in space, quantum computing and other niche technologies, areas seen as critical to future military capability development.

How space and quantum tech matter in defence?

The inclusion of space and quantum computing in the discussions highlights a shift in India’s defence partnerships toward frontier domains. Space-based capabilities are central to surveillance, communication, navigation and missile defence systems, while quantum technologies hold transformative potential in secure communications, encryption, sensing and computing power.

For Finland, known for its advanced technology ecosystem, collaboration with India opens opportunities for joint research, innovation and industrial partnerships in dual-use and military applications.

For India, the partnership supports efforts to diversify defence technology sources and integrate cutting-edge capabilities into its armed forces.

PM Modi’s meeting with Finnish counterpart

The latest development comes just after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Finland PM Petteri Orpo in New Delhi on February 18, 2026 on the margins of the AI Impact Summit. They looked forward to enhancing bilateral engagement including meeting again at the 3rd India-Nordic Summit later this year.

Both leaders also welcomed the recent conclusion of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement during the 16th India-EU Summit, which will serve as a catalyst for shared progress and prosperity. They committed to continuing efforts to further enhance bilateral relations in the spirit of the India-EU Strategic Partnership.

What do India-Finland defence relations look like?

Both the countries had in January 2020 signed a preliminary agreement to further defence ties, covering intergovernmental activities as well as private partnerships and investments. The agreement spans cooperation in production, procurement, research and development of defence-related equipment.