New Delhi, Jan 19 (IANS): In a bid to boost people-to-people ties and cultural exchanges, Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen on Saturday inaugurated a Danish Cultural Institute here.

"This year, we will celebrate 70 years of diplomatic ties," Rasmussen said at the inauguration ceremony.

"We live in times of uncertainty but we (India and Denmark) have a long-lasting friendship."

Stating that people of both countries should respect each other's culture, Rasmussen expressed the hope that the new centre will bring India and Denmark closer.

He also referred to his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit in Gandhinagar on Friday and said that both agreed "to take our relationship higher".

Headquartered in Denmark, the Danish Cultural Institute has been engaged in fostering mutual understanding between people and cultures since 1940.

It also has branches in Belgium, Brazil, China, Latvia, Poland and Russia.