Faroe Island PM Johannesen keen on collaborating with India on fishing, tourism, and arctic

Visiting Faroe Island Prime Minister Aksel Vilhelmson Johannesen is keen on collaborating with India on fishing and tourism. With an area of around 1400 square km, the Faroe Islands in North Atlantic is an autonomous territory of Denmark and has a population of just around 50,000 people.

The PM, speaking to our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal said that "we specialise in deep sea fishing. I think we could help in collaboration with India, both when it comes to export and import, but also I think both the Faroe Islands we have, we have a lot of companies which are specialised to build vessels".

When asked about Arctic cooperation with India, he said that "with the new sail route, the Faroe Islands can be a hub for many of the vessels, so we can kind of give them services". During India's visit, he had a meeting with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar.

WION: How do you characterise the relationship between India and the Faroe Islands?
Aksel Vilhelmson Johannesen: It's my first time here in India and it's very nice to be here. It's an outstanding country, India. In the past cooperation between Faroe Islands and India has not been that much, but hopefully, that will change now. That's why I am here in India. I think we could have cooperation in many areas. For example, when it comes to fishery, it has been the main industry in the Faroe Islands for more than one hundred years. And it's also a huge industry here in India. Also, aquaculture is a huge industry in the Faroe Islands as well as in India. Also, when it comes to IT, I think we could a cooperate between Faroe Islands and India and also when it comes to tourism, the Faroe Islands have been big in the last couple of years, it has been a destination, which has been very, very popular. 

WION: Faroe Islands might be territorially small, but they have a large oceanic area and territory. And fishing is something that you have really mastered, and this is something that India will keen to get as well in terms of collaboration. If you can talk about this kind of collaboration between India and Faroe Islands in terms of fishing.
Aksel Vilhelmson Johannesen: Faroe Islands are very tiny, small islands with few inhabitants. But we are calling ourselves as a large ocean nation because we do have a lot of sea and we are, I will say after more than 100 years of fishing, we are specialized in deep sea fishing. I think we could help in collaboration with India, both when it comes to export and import, but also I think both the Faroe Islands we have, we have a lot of companies which are specialised to build vessels and other stuff which the fishing industry needs. And also I know that some of our companies are buying trolls and other things here in India.

WION: Tourism I mean, this is a region where Indians will be keen to go. So if you can talk about the tourism potential for the Indian tourists to travel to Faroe Islands and obviously people from your region as well travelling to India. 
Aksel Vilhelmson Johannesen: Yes. I think it was very interesting to travel to India. It's an astounding country. And when it comes to the Faroe Islands. It's a small and tiny island and it's in the middle of nowhere. So, it's very, very quiet, there and it's very clean there. So, as I told you, in the past, Faroe Islands have been a very popular destination. Because I think people like to visit our place where it is very quiet and clean and with no stress. So Indian people are very welcome to visit the islands.

WION: But my last question to you is the Arctic cooperation that we have seen Indian interest in the Arctic, so how do you see the Indian presence and what can Faroe Island do in terms of collaborating with India in that part of the planet? 
Aksel Vilhelmson Johannesen: Of course, for the Faroe Islands it is a part of Arctic and for us, it's important first of all, that the Arctic will be a low-tension area, but also with the new sail route, the Faroe Islands can be a hub for many of the vessels, so we can kind of give them services. But also, when it comes to climate change, I think it could be interesting with a collaboration between India and Faroe Islands.

WION: And do you expect a high-level visit from Faroe Island?
Aksel Vilhelmson Johannesen: Yes, I have invited some of the ministers to the Faroe Islands for example, the Minister of fisheries here in India and other ministers are also welcome to visit the Faroe Islands.