India, Sweden agree to elevate ties to Strategic Partnership
India and Sweden agreed to upgrade their relationship to Strategic Partnership on Sunday, May 17, 2026, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s talks with his Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson focusing on trade, technology, defense and other key sectors.
Mr. Modi, who arrived earlier today on a two-day visit, was also awarded the ‘Royal Order of the Polar Star, Grade Commander Grand Cross’ for his outstanding contribution to India-Sweden relations and visionary leadership.
Prime Minister Modi’s update on 17 May 2026 in Sweden
During the delegation level talks, the two Prime Ministers reviewed the entire spectrum of India-Sweden relations and agreed to upgrade the bilateral relationship to Strategic Partnership, marking an important milestone in the relationship.
Prime Minister Modi said, “In light of our increasing cooperation in every sector, we have decided to elevate our relationship to the level of Strategic Partnership. In this partnership, we will focus and move forward on green transition, security, emerging technology and people-to-people ties.”
Prime Minister Modi made these statements while speaking at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Kristersson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
“We have good potential in sectors such as artificial intelligence, health technology and green mobility. A delegation from Sweden attended the AI Impact Summit in India. We will work on the Sweden-India technology and artificial intelligence corridor,” he added.
The Prime Minister said that cooperation between the two parties in the defense sector is constantly expanding.
“The fact that Swedish companies are setting up production facilities in India is proof that we are moving beyond just a buyer-seller relationship and towards a long-term industrial partnership,” he said.
In today’s stressful global environment, close cooperation between democracies such as India and Sweden is of particular importance. He said that India always attaches importance to dialogue and diplomacy to resolve various tensions and problems.
Prime Minister Modi said India and Sweden agree that terrorism is a serious problem for all humanity.
“I would like to express my gratitude to Prime Minister Kristersson for the support we received from Sweden after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam last year. We will continue to fight terrorism and its supporters.”
Mr. Modi said the relationship between India and Sweden is based on a strong foundation of democratic values, rule of law and people-centered development.
“Both of our nations see innovation as a tool for development, see sustainability as a shared responsibility, and see democracy as our greatest strength…” he added.
He said that to improve connectivity between the startup and research ecosystems of both countries, the two sides decided to establish an India-Sweden Science and Technology Centre.
“The Industry Transition Leadership Group is our joint global initiative where we emphasize low-carbon industrial transformation. We have decided to start its third phase today.”
“Massive work is being done in India in the fields of Green Hydrogen, Circular Economy and Sustainable Infrastructure. By combining Swedish technology with Indian scale, we can develop climate solutions for the whole world…” he said.
The Prime Minister said that during European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s visit to India in January, the two sides took many historic decisions aimed at elevating India-EU relations to new heights.
“Progress is being made on all these outcomes. The India-EU Free Trade Agreement will unlock new opportunities for industries, investors and innovators. To quote Ursula, it is the ‘Mother of All Agreements’…” he said.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that during the bilateral talks, the two prime ministers discussed ways to deepen cooperation in the fields of trade and investment, technology and innovation, green transition, space, emerging technologies, defense and security, SMEs, research and people-to-people relations.
Bilateral trade will reach $7.75 billion in 2025.
They agreed to identify new opportunities in the spirit of the India-EU Strategic Partnership and recently signed the India-EU Free Trade Agreement for the benefit of their people.
Prime Minister Kristersson appreciated India’s progress in digital transformation and Artificial Intelligence.
He also noted the positive contribution of the Indian community in Sweden. Prime Minister Modi invited Sweden to become more involved in India’s growth story.
The leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues.
They stressed the urgency of reforming the UN and multilateral organizations and agreed to enhance cooperation in multilateral forums.
Crown Princess Victoria also attended the meeting and conveyed the warm wishes of the King and Queen of Sweden.
Prime Minister Modi thanked his hosts for their warm welcome and extended warm wishes to King Carl XVI Gustav on his 80th birthday.
Separately, Prime Minister Modi also met Maersk Chairman Robert Maersk Uggla and discussed the wide-ranging opportunities in India and deepening investments, especially in sectors such as port infrastructure, logistics and more.
In a post on X, Mr. Jaiswal said PM Modi appreciated Maersk’s long presence in India and encouraged them to invest in new business opportunities in maritime logistics and port infrastructure in the country.
“They also discussed cooperation on green shipping and skilled mobility,” Mr. Jaiswal added.
Previously, the Prime Minister’s plane was accompanied by Swedish Air Force jets as it entered the European country’s airspace.
He was warmly welcomed at the airport by his Swedish counterpart with a special gesture. Mr Modi had previously visited Sweden for the first India-Nordic Summit in 2018.
Shortly after arriving in Gothenburg, Mr Modi met members of the Indian diaspora. He was treated to musical performances that included Swedish opera singer Charlotta Huldt’s bhajan rendition of ‘Vaishnava Jana To’ and a mesmerizing Bharatanatyam performance by Lilla Akademien students.
A magnificent example of Bengali culture was exhibited at the reception attended by Prime Minister Kristersson. “Bengali culture is popular across the world and Sweden is no exception,” Mr Modi said on social media.
