In view of the geopolitical shifts and changing situations, every nation and continent is seeking strategic autonomy with an interest to keep materials, especially critical minerals, as long as possible in its societies, said an expert from the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra.
Speaking on diversifying the trade portfolio and the Free Trade Agreement between India and Finland, Sulkinoja said there’s really a great potential in building joint value chains, be it textile industry, or electronics, or automobiles. “This speaks to the benefit of both countries or regions, Europe, and India,” he said.
Roadshow ahead of WCEF 2026
The Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra organised a roadshow in Ahmedabad on Thursday attended by senior representatives from Sitra and the Embassy of Finland, Gujarat-based industry leaders, and representatives of innovative Finnish companies offering circular and net zero solutions.
The event is a precursor to the World Circular Economy Forum 2026 (WCEF 2026) to be hosted in Gandhinagar in September 2026 by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change along with Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra.
WCEF is a global platform bringing together business leaders, policymakers, and experts to present the world’s best circular economy solutions, with Finland as a co‑host of the 2026 edition.
Speaking on the challenges for India towards a circular economy, Sulkinoja from the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, specialising on circular economy, climate, and nature said, “The policy frameworks, regulatory frameworks are planned for linear systems. Which means that the price signals, the business is getting out of these public sources is somewhat wrong. It is wrong. It is wrong in Europe, and in the US, and in other parts of the world as well. In practice, that means that often secondary raw materials, recycled materials, are more expensive than the virgin raw materials. So it is cheaper to dig a hole in the ground and use that compared to what is already in our societies. Although it would be as good as the virgin raw material. So, that is related to the taxation, finance schemes and policy framework.”
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The roadshow aims to raise awareness among Surat industry leaders about the WCEF 2026 agenda and invite cluster commitments, sessions and pilots for WCEF-2026, facilitate direct meetings between Surat mills and brands and Finnish technology providers and buyers.
Circular economy & climate change
Dr Antti Herlevi, Counsellor, Trade and Investment Water Forest and Circular Economy, Embassy of Finland, said that Finland is aiming to double the trade between India and Finland by 2030.
“Towards that target, this forum is one big event where we can invite Finnish and Indian companies to find each other. We have arranged these company meetings, like tomorrow, we are going to meet the Adani group. This is one way we are doing, and especially this year, we will have two more roadshows where we have similar B to B meetings, and meeting the big businesses, like Adani or Reliance or Tata Groups, and so on. Also, finding Finnish companies, Indian companies, and some of the European companies working together in EU projects is one way to start. Now we have this clear goal, so we will be even more active to promote the Finnish business in India. We have 100 plus Finnish companies working in India and all are using a circular economy. That is mandated.They bring the Finnish culture to India. Even if they are run by Indian directors or individuals, they apply the Finnish circularity principles in their business models,” Dr Herlevi told The Indian Express.
Stating that the circular economy, as a whole, is related to climate change, Dr Herlevi said, “We use less raw material, virgin raw materials, in everything we create. We don’t have to mine so much of these materials. For example, in the automobile industry, we have some solutions on how to reuse the materials. And we can offer that to the Indian auto industry. Electronic waste is very important. Everything is related to climate, at the end of the day. When we talk about climate change as such, we have very high level institutions in Finland who are doing research, but not only research they are providing some solutions too. When it comes to monitoring climate, monitoring air quality, monitoring water quality, high class instrumentation is being provided.”
