Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Gothenburg, Sweden, from 17 to 18 May 2026, as part of his five-nation European tour. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson invited PM Modi to visit Gothenburg, following his engagements in the Netherlands. PM Modi had previously visited Sweden in 2018 for the first-ever India-Nordic Summit.
During his time in Gothenburg, PM Modi held bilateral talks with PM Kristersson. Crown Princess Victoria also participated in the meetings and conveyed greetings from Their Majesties, the King and Queen of Sweden. The two leaders agreed to launch the Joint Innovation Partnership 2.0 and the India-Sweden Technology and Artificial Intelligence Corridor. They also set a target of doubling bilateral trade within five years. Bilateral trade between India and Sweden reached USD 7.75 billion in 2025, while Swedish FDI into India stands at USD 2.825 billion for the period 2000–2025. Discussions covered cooperation in trade, defence, innovation, AI, climate change, and green transition.
During the visit, PM Modi was conferred with the Royal Order of the Polar Star, Degree Commander Grand Cross, Sweden’s highest state honour. PM Modi acknowledged the distinction on X: “A short while ago, I was conferred with the ‘Royal Order of the Polar Star, Degree Commander Grand Cross.’ This is not just an honour for me, but for the 1.4 billion people of India. It’s equally a tribute to all our friends in Sweden who have enriched India-Sweden relations and given them a strong foundation.”
PM Modi and PM Kristersson met Swedish business leaders in Gothenburg, with Crown Princess Victoria also present. PM Modi wrote on X that discussions centred on strengthening economic ties, particularly in futuristic technologies, R&D, AI, security, and healthcare. He stated that he emphasised India’s reform agenda and the opportunities it presents in infrastructure, innovation, and technology. PM Modi also met Robert Maersk Uggla, Chairman of Maersk, to discuss investment prospects in port infrastructure and logistics.
PM Modi addressed the European Round Table for Industry (ERT) in Gothenburg alongside PM Kristersson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The ERT is a leading pan-European business leaders’ forum.
On the sidelines, PM Kristersson presented PM Modi with a facsimile of two handwritten poems by Rabindranath Tagore, sourced from the Swedish National Archives. PM Kristersson noted on X that Rabindranath Tagore had been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913.
Outcomes of the Visit
The summit produced six concrete outcomes. The foremost outcome was the elevation of bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership, structured around four pillars: strategic dialogue for stability and security; next-generation economic partnership; emerging technologies and trusted connectivity; and people, planet, and resilience. Alongside these developments, both sides launched the Joint Innovation Partnership 2.0, which establishes a virtual India-Sweden Joint Science and Technology Centre (ISJSTC) to deepen cooperation in AI, 6G, quantum computing, critical minerals, space, and life sciences. Both governments also endorsed the development of the Sweden-India Technology and Artificial Intelligence Corridor (SITAC), aimed at strengthening industry, startup, and research partnerships in advanced technologies.
On trade, both sides set a target of doubling bilateral economic exchange within five years, with commitments to strengthen the Trade Facilitation/Fast Track Mechanism and pursue dialogue on intellectual property rights. A dedicated India-Sweden SME and Start-up Platform was also agreed upon to promote innovation and youth employment. Finally, a ‘Tagore-Sweden’ Lecture Series was instituted under the theme Vikas Bhi Virasat Bhi, aimed at deepening cultural and intellectual ties between the two countries.
From Sweden, PM Modi travelled to Norway for the fourth leg of his tour. He is paying an official visit to Oslo on 18–19 May 2026, where he is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and attend the 3rd India-Nordic Summit. This will mark the first prime ministerial visit from India to Norway in 43 years.
