Piyush Goyal pitches Make in India to Nokia, KONE in Helsinki
Synopsis
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal flew to Helsinki to pitch India's engineering talent and Make in India ecosystem directly to Nokia's CEO and KONE's top brass — signalling that India's supply-chain diversification drive is now reaching deep into Nordic industrial corridors, with 5G, 6G and smart infrastructure at the centre of the ask.
Key Takeaways
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal held high-level meetings with Finnish firms in Helsinki on 17 July .
He met Nokia Corporation President and CEO Justin Hotard to discuss manufacturing expansion, exports, and 5G/6G collaboration in India.
Goyal stressed telecom network security and the need for resilient, trusted supply chains.
He also met KONE Corporation leadership — Vice Chair Jussi Herlin and CFO Ilkka Hara — to explore manufacturing, R&D and global export opportunities from India.
Both companies were urged to leverage India's engineering talent and the 'Make in India' initiative.
No specific investment figures or timelines were disclosed after the meetings.
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday, 17 July held a series of high-level meetings with leading Finnish technology and industrial companies in Helsinki, urging them to deepen investments in India through expanded manufacturing, research and development (R&D), and increased exports from Indian facilities.
Nokia Talks: 5G, 6G and Supply Chain Security
Goyal met Nokia Corporation President and CEO Justin Hotard along with the company's senior leadership, with discussions centring on growing Nokia's manufacturing presence in India, scaling up exports from its India-based facilities, and broadening R&D commitments. 'Discussions centred on expanding Nokia's manufacturing footprint in India, scaling up exports from India-based facilities, and deepening R&D and research investment in the country,' Goyal said.
The minister placed particular emphasis on telecom network security and the imperative to build resilient, trusted supply chains — a concern that has gained urgency globally amid geopolitical tensions in the technology sector. He invited Nokia to leverage India's deep engineering talent pool, its rapidly expanding telecom market, and the 'Make in India' initiative to strengthen the India-Finland innovation partnership.
Talks also covered collaboration in next-generation telecommunications, including 5G and 6G technologies, digital infrastructure, electronics manufacturing, and innovation partnerships. The interaction highlighted Nokia's longstanding presence in India's telecom ecosystem.
KONE Corporation: Manufacturing and Global Exports
Goyal also met Jussi Herlin, Vice Chair of KONE Corporation, and Ilkka Hara, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, where talks focused on expanding the elevator and escalator major's manufacturing, R&D, and innovation footprint in India. 'We explored opportunities to expand KONE's manufacturing, R&D and innovation footprint in India, while scaling up exports from India to global markets,' Goyal said.
He encouraged KONE to use its India operations as a global export hub and to partner in India's growth story under the 'Make in India' framework — positioning Indian facilities not merely as domestic supply centres but as competitive nodes in KONE's worldwide value chain.
Broader Strategic Context
The Helsinki meetings are part of a wider diplomatic and trade outreach by the Commerce Ministry to attract high-quality foreign investment in advanced manufacturing and deep-tech sectors. Finland's industrial companies — particularly in telecom equipment and smart infrastructure — represent a strategic fit for India's ambitions in electronics, 5G rollout, and urban infrastructure expansion.
This comes amid India's sustained push to diversify its technology supply chains and reduce dependence on a narrow set of global vendors, a priority that has intensified following global semiconductor and telecom equipment disruptions since 2020.
What Comes Next
No specific investment figures or timelines were announced following the meetings. Industry observers will watch for follow-through commitments from Nokia and KONE in the coming months, particularly as India's 6G roadmap and urban infrastructure pipeline accelerate through 2025-26.
Point of View
However, is a familiar pattern in such outreach missions. The real measure will be whether Nokia and KONE translate these discussions into verifiable capacity additions in India — or whether Helsinki joins a long list of ministerial pit-stops that generated goodwill but little factory floor activity.
NationPress
17 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Piyush Goyal visit Helsinki?
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal visited Helsinki on 17 July to hold high-level meetings with leading Finnish technology and industrial companies, urging them to expand manufacturing, R&D and exports from India under the 'Make in India' initiative.
What was discussed in the Nokia meeting?
Goyal met Nokia President and CEO Justin Hotard to discuss expanding Nokia's manufacturing footprint in India, scaling up exports from its India-based facilities, and deepening R&D investment. Talks also covered 5G and 6G collaboration, digital infrastructure, and telecom network security.
What is KONE Corporation and why was it approached?
KONE Corporation is a Finnish multinational specialising in elevators, escalators, and building flow solutions. Goyal met its Vice Chair Jussi Herlin and CFO Ilkka Hara to explore expanding KONE's manufacturing, R&D, and innovation presence in India and using Indian facilities as a global export hub.
Were any investment commitments announced after the meetings?
No specific investment figures or timelines were announced following the Helsinki meetings. Follow-through from Nokia and KONE will be watched in the coming months as India's 6G roadmap and urban infrastructure pipeline gather pace.
How does this visit fit into India's broader trade strategy?
The Helsinki outreach is part of the Commerce Ministry's sustained effort to attract high-quality foreign investment in advanced manufacturing and deep-tech. It reflects India's push to diversify technology supply chains, particularly in telecom equipment and smart infrastructure, following global disruptions since 2020.
