“Strong victory for Indian democracy…India is blooming”: Danish envoy Svane after PM Modi’s electoral win in LS polls

By Ayushi Agarwal

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi registered a third consecutive victory in the Lok Sabha elections, Denmark’s Ambassador to India, Freddy Svane, said that India is blooming as it was a “strong victory” for the Indian democracy.

In an interview with ANI, the Danish Ambassador said that the past decade with PM Modi was a very good one and now that he is elected for a third term, the partnership between the two countries will continue to evolve on agreed lines.

“I see this as a very strong victory for Indian democracy… India is just blooming. Democracy in India stands stronger than ever… In my part of the world, there were a lot of questions about whether Indian democracy is robust and solid, and I think all these doubts will just have to go away… We are working with whoever the Indian electorate will elect as a leader. We have had a very good decade with PM Narendra Modi, and now that he is in his third term, our relationship will just evolve along the already agreed lines,” the Danish Ambassador told ANI.

The BJP-led NDA is set to form its third successive government at the Centre, with the Lok Sabha election results on Tuesday throwing up a verdict that also brought cheer to the opposition INDIA bloc as it put up a strong performance with Congress almost touching the 100-seat mark.

The final count for the Lok Sabha 2024 elections has concluded, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) winning 240 seats, far fewer than had been expected, but prevailing over the opposition Congress, which won 99 seats.

PM Modi said at the party’s central office that it is the first time since 1962 that a government that completed two full terms has gotten a third successive term in office. He said “new history” has been created after six decades.

Describing India-Denmark relations as “strong as ever,” Svane said Denmark stands with India, and noted that Denmark will ensure whatever India needs is brought to the table by the nation.

“Strong as ever…We will work round the clock. We need to ensure that whatever India needs, we’ll bring to India’s table and it is for Indians to decide what they need from Denmark. Denmark stands with India. We are also ready to be a very strong strategic partner of the strategy leading towards a ‘Green, Strong, Sustainable India'” he said.

Notably, India and Denmark established diplomatic relations in September 1949. Bilateral relations were elevated to the level of “Green Strategic Partnership” during the Virtual Summit held on September 28, 2020, between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen.

The current development of renewed India-Denmark relations has been guided by the “Green Strategic Partnership”.

“We have the Green Strategic Partnership and we will move ahead with that. We are looking forward to the 100-day plans that are now being put into traction…” Swane noted.

Meanwhile, the envoy also planted a sapling on the occasion of World Environment Day.

“I have planted a tree in my backyard to signify and symbolise that we will keep the planet, our mother Earth, running…” he said.

June 5th is celebrated as World Environment Day because it marks the first day of the 1972 Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment.

On this day, people worldwide unite to celebrate the importance of environmental conservation and sustainability while highlighting the urgent need to address environmental challenges.

This year’s theme is “Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resilience.”