Estonia and India

Bilateral relations

India first recognised Estonia on 22 September 1921, when Estonia was admitted into the League of Nations. India re-recognised the Republic of Estonia on 9 September 1991 and diplomatic relations were established on 2 December of the same year in Helsinki. The Indian ambassador to Estonia Aladiyan Manickam resides in Helsinki.

The Estonian Ambassador to India is Viljar Lubi.
Estonia’s Honorary Consulate General in New Delhi started work in September 1993, and from 1993-2006 the honorary consul in New Delhi was Kasturi Lal Vig. Anil Vig has been the honorary consul in New Delhi since October 1996 and beginning in May 1999 Sunil Khanna has been Estonia’s honorary consul in Mumbai.

From September 2005 until July 2008, an Estonian consular diplomat worked at the Finnish Embassy in New Delhi. As of March 2012 Margus Särglepp has been Estonia’s charge d’affaires in India and is helping to prepare for the opening of an Estonian embassy there.

In 2011 the Estonian Development Fund in co-operation with the Indian Embassy in Helsinki started an India foresight project, the goal of which is to map out possibilities for co-operation in various sectors.

Visits

Agreements

• Declaration of Principles and Directions of Co-operation between the Republic of Estonia and the Republic of India (came into force 15.10.93);
• Agreement on Co-operation in the Fields of Science and Technology (came into force 06.08.99);
• Agreement on Co-operation in the Spheres of Culture, Education, Science, Sports, Arts, Mass Media, Tourism and Youth Affairs (came into force 11.11.99);
• Agreement on Economic and Technical Co-operation (came into force 13.03.00);
• Agreement on Trade and Economic Co-operation (came into force 24.08.04).
• Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation (signed 19.09.11)

Economic Relations

One major reason for establishing an Estonian Embassy in India was the development of economic relations. Estonia-India economic relations are currently modest (Estonian export to India in 2011 was 35 million euros, import 27 million), but economic possibilities in India hold a great deal of potential.

In developing co-operation, both sides feel that the economic sectors with the most potential are information technology, since both countries are skilled in the sector and there are many opportunities for co-operation, and bio- and environmental technology, in which India is also a global leader.

In 2011 India ranked as Estonia’s 31st trade partner with a turnover of 61.6 million euros (0.2% of Estonia’s total trade), its 32nd import partner and 29th export partner. In the first nine months of 2012 India was Estonia’s 32nd trade partner with a turnover of 62 million euros (0.3% of Estonia’s total trade), or which export made up 38.3 million (27th place) and import 23.7 million (33rd place).

India’s importance as a trade partner to Estonia has grown year by year, but considering the size of India, trade volumes are still quite modest.

Trade

Estonian-Indian trade 2005-2012 (million EUR)

Source: Statistical Office of Estonia

Main export articles in first nine months of 2012:

• Machinery and equipment – 36.2%
• Pulp and paper – 29.8%
• Metals and metal products – 18.1%
• Medical instruments and measuring apparatuses – 5.5%
• Leather and fur – 4.4%

Main import articles in first nine months of 2012:

• Machinery and equipment – 46%
• Metals and metal products – 14.7%
• Textiles and textile products – 9.4%
• Chemical products – 8.5%
• Plant products – 5.5%

Investments

According to Bank of Estonia data, as of 30 June 2012 India has invested 267 thousand euros in Estonia. The main sectors for investments are the manufacturing industry; construction; wholesale and retail trade; accommodation and catering; information and communication; real estate; professional, research and technical activity; and financial and insurance activity.
As of the same date Estonia’s direct investments in India totaled 216 thousand euros, mainly in the financial and insurance activity and real estate sectors.

Culture

Estonia-India relations are most significant in the cultural sector, compared to other sectors.
E. Eckhold was probably the first person of Estonian origin to visit India, arriving on its shores at the end of the 17th century. Reliable information indicates that the renowned seafarer A. J. von Krusenstern was in Madras and Calcutta in 1797. The "Pühhapäiwa Wahhe-luggemissed" ("Sunday Intermediary Readings") of Otto W. Masing (1818) was the first written work in Estonian to touch upon India. At the University of Tartu several publications on the Sanskrit language and literature were published. In 1837, the teaching of Sanskrit began at the University of Tartu.

In the middle of the 19th century, the first missionaries went to India from Estonia: A. Nerling (1861-1872) and J. Hesse (1869-1873). Later, several others followed. Through the missionaries much information about India reached Estonia, and several articles and books were published. These were mainly connected with the evangelic missionary work in India, but also described the caste system, religions, yoga teachings, and Indian classical literature. Writer Andres Saal made a significant contribution by publishing longer articles about the Indian epic "Mahabharata", drama and folk wisdom in "Olevik" ("The Present") in 1912.

Cultural relations between the two states continue to be very good and diverse. India offers several scholarships through the Indian Technical and Economic Co-operation programme (ITEC), about which you can get more information from the Ministry of Education and Research. Estonians have shown great interest toward this programme – over 25 Estonians participate in the programme every year.

During the last decade, India has given some generous gifts to the Estonian Humanitarian Institute, the National Library, and the Oriental Studies Centre at the University of Tartu, sharing books that introduce India’s history and culture. Sanskrit has been taught at the University of Tartu and in the Estonian Humanitarian Institute at the Tallinn University. Tallinn University also teaches Hindi, Indian culture, philosophy and history.

Estonian films have participated in film festivals in India. The Eastern music festival organised by Peeter Vähi "Orient", where Indian music has been performed, has become an Estonian tradition. Indian music and dance has also been introduced during Jazzkaar.

Many notable musicians have been able to come perform in Estonia thanks to the Indian Cultural Association of Estonia (ICAE), which was established in 2003 and began active operations in 2004. The ICAE aspires to the beautiful words of Mahatma Gandhi: "I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be closed, instead I want the cultures of all lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible." The President of the ICAE is the Honorary Consul General of India in Estonia K.S. Tripathi.

On 3 March 2012 the Hindi-language translation of the Estonian epic poem “Kalevipoeg”, “Kalevputra” was unveiled during a book fair in New Delhi. Chairman of the Riigikogu foreign affairs committee Marko Mihkelson was in attendance. It was a significant event that opened the world of Estonian literature to Hindi-speaking audiences. On 17 May 2012 “Kalevputra” was presented to the President of the Republic of India.

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