Finland President arrives in New Delhi on state visit; to be chief guest at Raisina Dialogue

New Delhi — March 4, 2026 — Alexander Stubb landed in New Delhi on Wednesday morning at the start of a state visit to India, where he will serve as Chief Guest and keynote speaker at the 11th Raisina Dialogue 2026, officials said.

President Stubb was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the airport, complete with a Guard of Honour, and was received by Minister of State for External Affairs V. K. Singh, the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed.

Upon arrival, Stubb said his visit — running from March 4 to 7 — is expected to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties between Finland and India, including expanded cooperation in trade and investment.

Welcoming the Finnish leader, Narendra Modi said in a social media post that the visit “will take India-Finland relations to new heights” and expressed eagerness for bilateral talks and Stubb’s address at the Raisina Dialogue.

Focus on cooperation and global issues

During his stay, President Stubb will meet key Indian leaders, including Droupadi Murmu, C. P. Radhakrishnan, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. Discussions are expected to span trade, investment, technology partnerships and global issues of shared interest.

Several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) boosting cooperation in strategic industries may be formalised after talks between the two sides. The Finnish delegation includes ministers, senior officials and business leaders.

President Stubb will also travel to Mumbai later in the week, where he will meet regional leaders, engage with Indian business representatives and address students at the University of Mumbai as part of efforts to deepen people-to-people linkages.

The visit follows a series of high-level engagements between India and Finland, notably including Finland’s participation at the recent India AI Impact Summit 2026.