Resilience by Design: Softlabs Group at the India-Finland Business Summit

Date - 7 March 2026

Softlabs Group is proud to have been part of the India-Finland Business Summit, held on March 7 at Trident, Nariman Point, Mumbai. This high-level forum marked the conclusion of the state visit by the President of the Republic of Finland, H.E. Alexander Stubb, and further reinforced the growing Strategic Partnership in Digitalization and Sustainability between India and Finland.

The summit created a meaningful platform for dialogue around innovation, resilience, sustainability, industrial growth, and future-ready collaboration between the two nations. For Softlabs Group, it was an important opportunity to engage with global leaders, exchange ideas, and explore long-term possibilities in technology and industrial cooperation.

Setting the Stage for Collaboration

The summit opened with insightful remarks by Gitta Perez, Commercial Counsellor and Head of Trade & Business Promotion at the Embassy of Finland, who set the tone for a day focused on partnership, shared opportunity, and future-oriented collaboration.

This was followed by key addresses from distinguished leaders:

• Dr. P. Anbalagan, IAS, Secretary (Industries), Government of Maharashtra, shared greeting remarks focused on regional industrial growth and Maharashtra’s role in advancing international business partnerships.

• H.E. Mr. Kimmo Lähdevirta, Ambassador of Finland to India, delivered the welcome address, highlighting the strength of India-Finland ties and the importance of deeper cooperation across strategic sectors.

Economic Insights and Future Visions

The summit featured a strong exchange of ideas on economic transformation, policy direction, and sustainability-led innovation.

• Sachchidanand Shukla, Group Chief Economist at Larsen & Toubro, shared a compelling analysis of the Indian economy and the potential impact of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, offering valuable perspective on emerging opportunities for global business.

• Tuija Kalpala, CEO of Betolar Plc, spoke about the urgent need to decarbonize global infrastructure through circular resource innovation, emphasizing how sustainability and industrial progress must move together.

The discussion on the India-Finland Vision for the next decade was moderated by Ms. Menaka Doshi from Bloomberg, bringing together strategic viewpoints on innovation, resilience, and bilateral collaboration.

High-Level Networking and Strategic Insights

Representing Softlabs Group at the summit, Mithilesh Bandiwdekar, CEO, and Makrand Patkar, CMO, had the privilege of engaging with a distinguished delegation of Finnish leaders and business decision-makers.

Their conversations explored future-facing opportunities in digital transformation, industrial resilience, skilled talent mobility, and sustainable infrastructure.

Among the notable interactions were discussions with:

• Alexander Bargum, CEO of Algol Oy, on potential synergies in industrial distribution and resilient supply chains.