Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Gothenburg marked a historic moment in India–Sweden relations, combining high-level business engagement with a rare diplomatic honour.
He addressed Europe’s top CEOs at the European Round Table for Industry while also receiving Sweden’s highest award for a foreign Head of Government, the Royal Order of Polar Star Commander Grand Cross.
Arriving in Gothenburg on 17 May 2026, Prime Minister Modi was welcomed with exceptional ceremonial warmth. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson personally received him at the airport, and Swedish Air Force fighter jets escorted his aircraft into national airspace, underscoring the strategic importance Stockholm attaches to the visit. This was Modi’s first trip to Sweden since the inaugural India–Nordic Summit in 2018, adding symbolic weight to the occasion.
The centrepiece of the visit was Modi’s participation in the European Round Table for Industry, a premier forum that brought together over sixty top European CEOs. The event was co-hosted by Prime Minister Kristersson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, reflecting its continental significance.
Executives from leading corporations such as Ericsson, Nokia, Vodafone, Volvo Group, Airbus, AstraZeneca, Roche, Nestlé, Unilever, Shell, Maersk, SAP and Capgemini attended. Modi urged them to expand investments in India, presenting a five-sector framework for collaboration: telecom and digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence and semiconductors, green transition and clean energy, infrastructure and mobility, and healthcare and life sciences.
He emphasised India’s reform trajectory, describing the recently concluded India–EU Free Trade Agreement as the “Mother of all Deals,” and highlighted India’s structural advantages as a global manufacturing and R&D hub.
Swedish CEOs lauded India’s transformation, noting the impact of sustained reforms and the country’s growing talent ecosystem. Volvo Group executives pointed out that India hosts their second-largest R&D centre worldwide, employing nearly 5,000 people.
Industry leaders expressed optimism about India’s economic growth, domestic demand and skilled workforce, particularly in digital technologies and manufacturing. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that CEOs appreciated the scale of India’s transformation and expressed strong interest in deepening engagement.
Parallel to the business dialogue, Modi was conferred the Royal Order of Polar Star Commander Grand Cross, Sweden’s highest honour for a foreign Head of Government. Instituted in 1748, the award recognises exceptional contributions to Sweden and international cooperation.
This marked Modi’s thirty-first international award from a foreign nation, adding a historic milestone to his diplomatic portfolio. In a symbolic cultural gesture, Kristersson gifted Modi replicas of handwritten epigrams by Rabindranath Tagore, along with a photograph of the Nobel laureate taken during his 1921 visit to Uppsala University, celebrating shared cultural heritage.
Delegation-level talks between Modi and Kristersson covered the full spectrum of bilateral relations, focusing on trade, investments, defence, artificial intelligence, start-ups, resilient supply chains, climate action, space and emerging technologies.
Bilateral trade between India and Sweden had already reached USD 7.75 billion in 2025, and both sides expressed interest in expanding economic engagement and innovation partnerships. Modi reiterated his vision of advancing cooperation in investments, innovation and defence.
The visit also included vibrant diaspora interactions. In Gothenburg, Modi was welcomed with cultural performances blending Indian and Swedish traditions. Swedish opera singer Charlotta Huldt performed the bhajan Vaishnava Jana To, while students of Lilla Akademien presented a Bharatanatyam recital.
Bengali cultural traditions were also showcased, adding warmth to the gathering attended by Kristersson. Modi later remarked on social media that Bengali culture enjoys global popularity, including in Sweden.
This visit thus combined strategic diplomacy, industrial engagement and cultural exchange, reinforcing India’s expanding global footprint and Sweden’s recognition of India as a vital partner in trade, technology and innovation.
ANI
