India and Sweden on Sunday agreed to elevate their relationship to a Strategic Partnership, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with his Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson, focusing on trade, technology, defence, and other key areas.
Modi, who arrived earlier today for a two-day visit, was also awarded the ‘Royal Order of the Polar Star, Degree Commander Grand Cross’ in recognition of his exceptional contribution to the India-Sweden relationship and his visionary leadership.
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The Prime Minister said that cooperation between the two sides in the defence sector is continuously expanding. Mr. Modi added that the relationship between India and Sweden rests upon a strong foundation of democratic values, the rule of law, and human-centric development.
Mr. Modi had earlier visited Sweden in 2018 for the first-ever India-Nordic Summit..
Asserting that India’s “reform express” is going at full speed, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asked Swedish companies to enhance their presence in manufacturing, green hydrogen mission, clean energy and other sectors.
Wooing European companies, Mr. Modi highlighted the potential in five broad areas, including telecom and digital infrastructure, and said they can help in making India a global R and D hub.
Electronics, deep tech manufacturing, AI, green energy, infrastructure, mobility, urban transformation, healthcare and life science are among the other areas where the Prime Minister sought collaboration.
India and Sweden on Sunday agreed to elevate their relationship to a Strategic Partnership, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with his Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson, focusing on trade, technology, defence, and other key areas.
Mr. Modi, who arrived earlier today for a two-day visit, was also awarded the ‘Royal Order of the Polar Star, Degree Commander Grand Cross’ in recognition of his exceptional contribution to the India-Sweden relationship and his visionary leadership.
During the delegation-level talks, the two Prime Ministers reviewed the full spectrum of India-Sweden relations and they agreed to elevate the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership, marking a major milestone in the relationship.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was awarded Sweden’s highest honour, the ‘Royal Order of the Polar Star, Degree Commander Grand Cross,’, in recognition of his exceptional contributions to bilateral ties and his visionary leadership.
The award is the highest distinction that can be given to a Head of Government. This is Prime Minister Modi’s 31st international honour.
Immersing the Swedish industrial landscape in the vibrant hues of Indian heritage, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was greeted with a celebratory traditional Bengali cultural performance upon his arrival at his hotel in Gothenburg.
The spirited reception saw women dressed in traditional attire showcasing lively dances and rituals, beautifully blending elements reminiscent of aarti and classical folk expressions deeply rooted in Bengali culture. An enthusiastic crowd of well-wishers, proudly waving the Indian tricolour, lined the venue to cheer the Prime Minister, creating an electric, festive atmosphere that seamlessly bridged Indian traditions with the Swedish setting.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Sweden, where he will hold talks on a range of issues, including trade, technology, defence and some other key sectors.
The Prime Minister’s aircraft was escorted by Swedish Air Force jets while landing in Gothenburg. He was given a warm welcome at the airport by his Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson, which highlights the importance of the visit.
In his two-day visit to Sweden, Modi will hold talks with Kristersson, focussing on bilateral relations and exploring new avenues of cooperation to enhance bilateral trade, which reached $7.75 billion in 2025.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accompanied by his Dutch counterpart Rob Jetten, toured the iconic Afsluitdijk Dam on Sunday, as India and the Netherlands explored deeper collaboration in water management and climate-resilient infrastructure.
“An area in which the Netherlands has done groundbreaking work is water management. The entire international community can learn a great deal from this,” Mr. Modi said in a social media post after the visit.
The PM further said: “We are committed to bringing modern technology to India, which is intended to help with irrigation, flood protection, and the expansion of the inland waterway network.” Calling the Afsluitdijk Dam a “symbol of excellence and innovation”, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) highlighted its role in water management, flood protection and freshwater storage.
“The visit highlighted the relevance of Dutch expertise for India’s Kalpasar Project in Gujarat, which aims to create a freshwater reservoir and dam near the Gulf of Khambhat,” the MEA said in a social media post.
“The visit underscored opportunities for deeper Indo-Dutch collaboration in climate resilience, water technology and sustainable infrastructure,” it added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Netherlands infused deeper collaboration in the fields of semiconductors and critical minerals value chains with the signing of MoUs in these fields.
The Joint Statement issued during the visit of PM Modi highlighted the signing of the MoU on a Partnership on Semiconductors and Related Emerging Technology, which provides the framework for intensified cooperation in semiconductors, including in the areas of investment, research and talent exchange.
PM Modi and PM Jetten also welcomed the initiative to connect the Dutch Semicon Competence Centre to the Indian Semiconductor Mission (ISM), which aims to support and strengthen the semiconductor sector, specifically industries, startups, scale-ups, SMEs, and their suppliers, through collaboration, technology and talent development.
Further, both Prime Ministers expressed their appreciation for the Indo-Dutch Semicon Online School and its continuation for the next phase.
Driven by shifting global geopolitics, India and the Netherlands elevated their ties to a strategic partnership and inked 17 agreements to boost cooperation in defence, critical minerals and other key sectors during talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Dutch counterpart Rob Jetten.
The two leaders also discussed the situation in Ukraine - marked by the ongoing conflict with Russia and regional security developments.
They agreed to continue supporting efforts towards the achievement of a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine through dialogue and diplomacy, based on the principles of the UN Charter and international law, a statement said.
India and the Netherlands on Saturday (May 16, 2026) decided to elevate their relationship to the strategic partnership level following extensive talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Dutch counterpart Rob Jetten amid shifting global geopolitics.
Mr. Modi began his two-day visit to The Hague on Friday (May 15, 2026) as part of a four-nation trip to Europe that is aimed at ramping up bilateral ties in a range of key areas.
India and the Netherlands also inked a number of agreements to further enhance their cooperation in a range of areas.
“There has been significant progress in India-Netherlands ties in last one decade,” Mr. Modi said in his televised opening remarks during the talks with Dutch PM Jetten.
Netherlands is one of India’s largest trading destinations in Europe, with bilateral trade touching $27.8 billion in 2024-25. The European nation is India’s fourth largest investor with cumulative foreign direct investment of $55.6 billion.
Modi addresses Indian diaspora in the Netherlands, highlighting India's global aspirations and transformative journey in various sectors.
“There has been significant progress in India-Netherlands ties in last one decade,” PM Modi said in his televised opening remarks during the talks with Dutch PM Jetten.
In his remarks, the Prime Minister said India considers the Netherlands among its most important partners as the historical and people to people relations between the two sides are “deep” rooted.
“Democratic values, market economy and responsible behavior are part of our common approach. Our cooperation in areas of Water, healthcare and education has been making the lives of our people better,” he said.
Mr. Modi also highlighted India’s economic growth.
The Prime Minister suggested that there should be convergence of the Netherlands’ expertise and India’s “speed and skill” in every sector.
“We need to take our cooperation in areas of innovation, investment, sustainability and defence to new heights. Under this common vision, we are taking India-Netherlands relations to the level of strategic partnership,” Mr. Modi said.
India and the Netherlands on Saturday decided to elevate their relationship to the strategic partnership level following extensive talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Dutch counterpart Rob Jetten amid shifting global geopolitics.
India and the Netherlands also inked a number of agreements to further enhance their cooperation in a range of areas.
“There has been significant progress in India-Netherlands ties in last one decade,” Mr. Modi said in his televised opening remarks during the talks with Dutch PM Jetten.
In his remarks, the Prime Minister said India considers the Netherlands among its most important partners as the historical and people to people relations between the two sides are “deep” rooted.
Expressing that there is a lot of enthusiasm for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sweden, Indian Ambassador Anurag Bhushan said the PM is set to hold a bilateral meeting with his Swedish counterpart, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, and will also interact with multiple European and Swedish CEOs to enhance trade and investment between the two countries.
The envoy said that there is a lot of excitement for the Prime Minister’s visit, particularly in Gothenburg, which he described as the heart of Swedish industry and innovation.
“The Prime Minister is immensely popular in Sweden, there’s a lot of enthusiasm all around Sweden. But especially in Gothenburg, I find a lot of energy because this is the first visit of the Prime Minister to Gothenburg...Gothenburg is also the heart of Swedish industry and an innovation-based ecosystem. There are a lot of universities, institutions, science and technology establishments, and more importantly, it is also a centre for the Indian diaspora,” said Mr. Bhushan.
Published - May 17, 2026 10:34 am IST
Narendra Modi / Netherlands / Sweden / Europe / India / diplomacy / Live news
Source: The Hindu - India News
