India and Denmark have reaffirmed their longstanding bilateral maritime cooperation, with a renewed focus on green shipping, maritime decarbonisation and the sustainable development of the global maritime industry.
The two countries recently held a high-level bilateral meeting in Mumbai, bringing together India’s Director General of Maritime Administration and Denmark’s Minister for Business and Competitiveness to discuss ways to strengthen maritime ties and expand cooperation across key areas of the sector.
Discussions covered maritime decarbonisation, ship recycling, seafarer training and skill development, shipbuilding, green shipping, regulatory cooperation and sustainable maritime development. Both sides emphasised the importance of translating existing commitments into practical initiatives while strengthening technical collaboration.
According to the National Maritime Foundation (NMF), India and Denmark occupy different positions in the global maritime economy, making their sustained cooperation on green shipping particularly significant.
The maritime partnership dates back to January 2019, when the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on maritime cooperation. The agreement was revised in 2022, expanding its scope to include the establishment of a Centre of Excellence in India. Their partnership gained further momentum with the launch of the India-Denmark Green Strategic Partnership in 2020.
The latest discussions build on several high-level engagements and agreements between the two countries. In June 2025, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal met Denmark’s Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, Morten Bødskov, in Copenhagen.
The meeting highlighted the 2024 memorandum concerning the Centre of Excellence in Green Shipping. Both ministers underlined the Centre’s potential to accelerate the green transition of India’s maritime sector through knowledge-sharing, research and technology collaboration.
India had also proposed that the National Centre and the Danish Maritime Authority undertake joint initiatives on certification frameworks and collaborative research into energy-efficiency technologies.
Further strengthening the partnership, Denmark announced an initiative in February 2025 through Green Transition Alliance India, focusing on energy efficiency, renewable energy and green fuels.
The renewed commitment reflects the growing importance of India-Denmark cooperation in advancing sustainable maritime practices, promoting technological innovation and addressing the challenges associated with the global shipping industry’s transition towards a low-carbon future.