Norwegian Ambassador Reflects on a Year in India: Embracing Culture, Progress, and Gender Equality

As Norwegian Ambassador to India, May Elin-Stener completes her first year in office, she reflects on her journey with nostalgia and excitement. She highlights key achievements, cultural diversity, and the significance of India-Norway relations, while emphasizing the importance of gender equality in the workplace.

By Ayushi Agarwal

As Norwegian Ambassador to India, May Elin-Stener completes her first year in office, she reflects on her journey with a blend of nostalgia and excitement. In an interview, Stener showcased her proficiency in Hindi, even quoting a popular Bollywood dialogue, 'Picture abhi baaki hai, mere dost,' meaning 'the story is still unfinished, my friend.'

Stener expressed her joy at being in India, stating, 'Mai dil se bol rahi hoon, mai Bharat aa kar bahut khush hoon. Bharat mein hone ka yeh achha samay hai,' translating to, 'I am speaking from my heart, I am very happy to come to India. It's a great time to be in India.' She reminisced about the signing of the EFTA (European Free Trade Association) agreement between India and EFTA countries, which was a significant milestone in lifting bilateral relations.

'We have achieved one big thing this year. On March 10, we signed the trade and economic partnership agreement between EFTA and India. For us, that means so much after years of negotiations,' Stener highlighted. Presenting her credentials to President Droupadi Murmu last August, she emphasized the importance of India-Norway relations, recognizing India's rich cultural diversity and contribution to the world.

The ambassador also noted India's economic growth, stating, 'India is the most focused country. It's the fifth-largest economy. It's crucial for Norway to look toward India for green growth.' Stener shared fond memories of exploring India, including visiting Varanasi for Dev Deepawali, participating in a beach clean-up in Mumbai, attending the Jaipur Literature Festival, and visiting the Taj Mahal.

As one of the few women ambassadors in India, Stener underscored the importance of gender equality. 'I believe there are 25 women ambassadors in Delhi. This journey began in the 80s in Norway, with efforts to get women into the workplace and leadership positions. Last year, Norway had 50 percent women ambassadors abroad, a significant achievement.' She expressed hope that this could serve as an example for other countries.

Anticipating a high-level visit and the upcoming India-Nordic summit in Oslo, Stener mentioned her hope to welcome the Indian Prime Minister soon. She noted the growing economic and commercial ties between India and Norway, highlighting the increase in trade, investments, technology transfer, and cooperation in sectors like deep offshore, shipping, hydroelectricity, IT, biotechnology, and light consumer goods.

(With inputs from agencies.)