The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises held talks with Denmark’s patent office in Copenhagen this week to deepen cooperation on helping small businesses grow through innovation and intellectual property protection. The fourth meeting of the India–Denmark Joint Working Group took place from 24 to 28 August 2026, bringing together government officials and innovation specialists from both countries to chart out future collaboration.
What was discussed
The talks centred on several areas relevant to small business development. Officials from India and Denmark exchanged views on how their respective MSME sectors operate, looked at ways to help businesses adopt new technology, discussed intellectual property strategies, and explored how to turn innovations into commercial products. They also examined how clustering businesses in specific sectors can help them grow together.
The Indian team, led by Dr. Rajneesh, Additional Secretary and Development Commissioner at the Ministry of MSME, visited Aarhus University Innovation Kitchen and Agro Food Park to study how Denmark supports startups and business groups. They met with Denmark’s Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs and also attended the Nordic–India Startup Summit 2026, where Indian officials shared insights about India’s MSME landscape with Nordic entrepreneurs and investors.
Both delegations reviewed what had been accomplished through previous meetings and discussed priorities going forward. The Indian Ambassador to Denmark, Mr. Manish Prabhat, expressed satisfaction with how the joint working group mechanism was functioning and encouraged both countries to look for fresh areas where they could work together.
What this means for you
If you run a small or medium business in India, this cooperation could eventually benefit you through better access to innovation support systems and clearer guidance on protecting your intellectual property. The knowledge exchange between India and Denmark may lead to new mentoring programmes, startup support services, or cluster-based initiatives modelled on successful Danish approaches. Over time, Indian MSMEs may gain better pathways to commercialise their ideas and access funding or expertise from Nordic networks.