Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], June 10 (ANI): Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel was paid a courtesy call by Finnish Ambassador to India Kimmo Lahdevirta in Gandhinagar on Tuesday.

According to a release, in order to boost Gujarati industry-investors in Finland and to accelerate efforts for education, sustainability, and development between Finland and India, Gujarat, a Finnish Consulate Office has been made operational in Ahmedabad, and Kulin Lalbhai has been appointed as the Honorary Consulate.

The Finnish Ambassador has visited Gujarat with his delegation in this context and held a congratulatory meeting with the Chief Minister.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel expressed Gujarat's eagerness to learn about the achievements made by Finland in the Happiness Index and School Education and to study the Finnish school system operating in Finland.

He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendrabhai Modi, Gujarat is today a leader in the education and startup sector. The government cooperates with startups to make them self-reliant by providing funding and market support.

He expressed interest in startup cooperation between Gujarat and Finland so that the state's startups can benefit from the expertise that Finland has in the fields of skilling and education to scale up.

The Finnish Ambassador also appreciated the ecosystem that Gujarat has created in renewable energy, green transition and infrastructure. He said that about 10 Finnish companies are operating in Gujarat, and other companies have expressed interest in investment and business.

Terming his visit to Gujarat as historic, he said that with the opening of the Finnish Consulate Office in Ahmedabad, a new chapter has been added to the relations between Gujarat and Finland.

During this meeting, fruitful discussions were held between Gujarat and Finland towards moving forward with mutual cooperation in the fields of renewable energy, skilling, startup cooperation and education.

Chief Minister Patel expressed his expectation that Finland can also move forward in energy storage in addition to green energy, renewable energy.

In this meeting, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister M K Das, Principal Secretary, Industries Department, Mamta Verma, Industries Commissioner, P. Swaroop and other dignitaries were present. (ANI)