18 May,2026 09:13 AM IST | Gothenburg | mid-day online correspondent
Pic/X
India and Sweden on Sunday announced the elevation of bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in Gothenburg, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The announcement came during PM Modi's official visit to Sweden at the invitation of Kristersson. Both leaders discussed expanding cooperation in areas including trade, defence, emerging technologies, climate transition, innovation and counter-terrorism.
The two countries agreed to upgrade their bilateral ties into a Strategic Partnership, citing their long-standing friendship, growing cooperation and shared strategic interests.
According to the MEA, the new partnership will be based on four pillars - strategic dialogue for stability and security, next-generation economic partnership, emerging technologies and trusted connectivity, and cooperation on sustainability and resilience.
An upgraded Joint Action Plan for 2026-2030 was also endorsed to guide the implementation of the partnership framework.
Both leaders stressed the importance of economic security and resilient supply chains. India and Sweden announced a shared objective of doubling bilateral trade and investment within the next five years.
The initiative will be supported through the "Make in India" and "Made with Sweden" programmes. The leaders also acknowledged the role of the India-Sweden Business Leaders Round Table in strengthening economic ties between the two countries.
The two sides also agreed to organise a bilateral summit titled "India-Sweden: Stronger Together - towards 2047" in India in 2027.
The Prime Ministers agreed to deepen collaboration in digitalisation, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. The MEA said both sides would strengthen cooperation through the Sweden-India Technology and Artificial Intelligence Corridor (SITAC).
India and Sweden also agreed to launch an upgraded "Joint Innovation Partnership 2.0" and establish an India-Sweden Joint Science and Technology Centre.
The two leaders also discussed cooperation in the space sector. The statement highlighted ongoing collaboration between Indian Space Research Organisation and the Swedish Institute for Space Physics on India's Venus Orbiter Mission.
The leaders welcomed the expansion of the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT) initiative and agreed to continue efforts aimed at accelerating industrial transition and sustainability goals.
Both countries also agreed to cooperate in advanced mining and mineral processing technologies, particularly for critical minerals and rare earth supply chains. The MEA statement said the partnership would focus on strengthening domestic value addition and resilient supply chains.
PM Modi and Kristersson strongly condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all forms, including cross-border terrorism. The leaders specifically condemned the April 22, 2025 terror attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir.
The two countries called for dismantling terror infrastructure and safe havens and reiterated support for coordinated international action against terrorism under international law.
They also reaffirmed commitment towards disrupting terror financing channels through platforms such as the United Nations and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
The Swedish Prime Minister reiterated Sweden's support for India's permanent membership in a reformed and expanded United Nations Security Council.
Both leaders also stressed the importance of the India-Nordic Partnership and expressed anticipation for the third India-Nordic Summit scheduled to be held in Oslo on May 19, 2026.
(With inputs from IANS)
