Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met leading European business chiefs at the European Round Table for Industry in Gothenburg, Sweden, in a push to expand India’s global commercial footprint and attract strategic investments. The CEO-level gathering offered a forum for direct dialogue on industrial collaboration, investment opportunities and technology partnerships between India and European firms.
The visit coincided with a major diplomatic milestone: Modi was awarded Sweden’s Royal Order of the Polar Star, Commander Grand Cross — the highest honour the country grants to a head of government. Instituted in 1748, the order recognises exceptional contributions to Sweden and to international cooperation. The award marks Modi’s 31st international honour from a foreign nation and underscores Stockholm’s desire to deepen ties with New Delhi across trade, defence, emerging technologies and the green transition.
Modi arrived in Gothenburg for a two-day visit and was greeted at the airport by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. His plane was escorted into Swedish airspace by Swedish Air Force fighter jets, a protocol signalling the high diplomatic priority Sweden attached to the visit. Immediately after landing, Modi and Kristersson held delegation-level talks covering the full spectrum of bilateral relations.
Discussions between the two leaders and their teams focused on trade and investment, defence cooperation, artificial intelligence, startups, resilient supply chains, climate action, space and other emerging technologies. The talks were backed by a growing commercial relationship: bilateral trade reached USD 7.75 billion in 2025, and both sides expressed interest in expanding economic engagement and innovation partnerships.
This was Modi’s first visit to Sweden since the inaugural India–Nordic Summit in 2018. Beyond official meetings, he engaged with the Indian diaspora in Gothenburg, receiving a warm cultural welcome. Swedish soprano Charlotta Huldt performed the bhajan “Vaishnava Jana To,” and students from Lilla Akademien presented a Bharatanatyam recital. Bengali cultural traditions were also showcased in the presence of Prime Minister Kristersson. Modi later noted on social media the global appeal of Bengali culture, including in Sweden.
The trip combined high-level diplomacy, business outreach and cultural exchange, signalling both nations’ intent to broaden cooperation in economic, technological and strategic fields.
