New Delhi [India], August 21 (ANI): Finland pitched itself as a key destination for Indian businesses to expand their trade ties and how the two countries could deepen cooperation in building competitive value chains at the Circular Economy Forum 2026.

As per the press release by the Embassy of Finland in India, the discussions on circular economy, sustainable business, and resource-efficient growth under the theme 'Harmonising Value Chains: The new India-EU Trade Era' took place at the India Circular Economy Forum 2026 (ICEF2026) held in the national capital.

At the forum, Antti Herlevi, Counselor for Trade and Investments (Water, Forest and Circular Economy), Embassy of Finland in New Delhi, underlined how the circular economy is not just an environmental agenda but also an economic and industrial one.

He said, 'Finland has a long history of developing circular solutions, and more than 100 Finnish companies are already active in India across sectors including clean energy, waste management, recycling, digital solutions and sustainable design.'

Noting that the Indian market continues to grow rapidly, there is a significant opportunity for Finnish businesses to work alongside local partners in India across a range of fields, combining expertise and innovation to support resource-efficient and sustainable growth.

He highlighted how in a world of rising material demand and increasing pressure on resources, the shared experience and technologies of India and Finland can help advance circular solutions that retain value, reduce resource use and contribute to a more sustainable future.

The forum convened policymakers, business leaders, circular economy practitioners, investors and international experts to explore how India and Finland could deepen cooperation in building competitive, resilient and circular value chains with the evolving India - EU economic landscape.

As per the release, discussions at ICEF2026 highlighted how circularity, traceability, resource efficiency and responsible value chains could strengthen long-term competitiveness while opening new opportunities for innovation and international collaboration.

The forum provided actionable insights and strategies for businesses to meet their environmental compliance requirements and improve their ESG and circularity score while identifying potential growth opportunities. Indian and Finnish companies came together to explore collaboration, investment and technology partnerships, with a dedicated B2B session connecting Finnish expertise with Indian scale to advance circular solutions.

Major Finnish companies such as Peikko, Nokia, Normet, Mirasys, Lamor, etc., and Indian companies including Orbigreen Techsource Private Limited, LoopM Alternatives, Re:Gen Collective, Syaahi Uniforms participated in discussions centred on creating meaningful business opportunities, facilitating crossborder collaboration and connecting Indian enterprises with the global circular economy ecosystem, the release said.

The forum also served as a precursor to the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) 2026.

Speaking at the forum, Shalini Goyal Bhalla, Founder and Managing Director, International Council for Circular Economy (ICCE), said, 'India is at an important point in its circular economy transition. Circularity can no longer remain limited to waste management; it must become an integral part of how we design products, build value chains, use resources, develop skills and create new business models.'

As per the release, she further highlighted, 'As India strengthens its manufacturing capabilities and global partnerships, embedding resource efficiency, innovation and circular design into our growth story will be critical to building a more competitive, resilient and sustainable economy.'

The World Circular Economy Forum 2026 The World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) will be held for the first time in South Asia this year.

The event will take place in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India, from 15th to 18th September, the release highlighted.

The tenth edition of WCEF places India at the forefront of scaling circular economy solutions that address the challenges of a resource-constrained world.

WCEF2026 will be organised jointly by the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), supported by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India, in coordination with Government of Gujarat and in collaboration with global and Indian partners. (ANI)