PM Modi Gets Sweden’s Top Honour, Lauds India-EU Ties, Delivers Strong Message On Terrorism

Added: 2026-05-19

[00:00:26]Deepening our investment ties will help us to de-risk and to diversify.

[00:00:35]Basically, one can say the trade agreement opened the door and investment agreement walks us through this door. We will also work together encountering cyber threats, protecting our critical infrastructure, and by generally increasing our information sharing.

[00:00:53]>> [snorts] >> The European Union, Sweden, and India all recognize the immense potential that lies in deepening our partnership, not least when it when the world is as complicated and unpredictable as it obviously is today.

[00:01:34]Swedish companies have been present in India for well over 100 years, creating jobs, creating growth, creating friendship.

[00:01:44]Today, some 300 Swedish companies operate in India, many of them with their own production capabilities.

[00:01:53]And this relationship is growing as Indian companies also increasingly invest here in Sweden.

[00:02:02]Actually, slightly more than 10 years ago, I myself, together with my Indian counterpart at the time, we signed the first Sweden-India Social Security Agreement in New Delhi.

[00:02:17]With the explicit aim to promote corporate and professional ties between our two countries. That might have helped.

[00:02:26]Today, the 80,000 plus Indian diaspora here in Sweden makes a significant contribution to our economy and our society, not least bringing much-needed skills in high-tech sectors across Sweden.

[00:02:44]The European Union, Sweden, and India all recognize the immense potential that lies in deepening our partnership. Not least when it when the world is as complicated and unpredictable as it obviously is today.

[00:03:02]Prime Minister Modi, your visit marks another milestone in this history of India-Sweden relations.

[00:03:10]Today, we have launched a strategic partnership and joint action plan for our shared objectives.

[00:03:18]We upgrade and we modernize existing areas of cooperation and we expand this cooperation to new areas shaping the future. Innovation, emerging technologies, AI, space, and geospatial technology, along with the green transition, of course.

[00:03:39]As for concrete outcomes of today's meetings, first, we have agreed to launch a joint innovation partnership 2.0 and to set up a joint center for science and technology to connect academic institutions in both countries. Second, we will enhance our political dialogue on security and defense-related matters, including including through a dialogue between our countries' national security advisers.

[00:04:12]Third, we launch a third phase of the Leadership Group for Industry Transition, called LeadIT, which is proudly co-chaired by Sweden and India.

[00:04:25]Through LeadIT, we will continue to drive this global movement for accelerating the green transition of heavy industry.

[00:04:34]And fourth, the sky is not the limit for the Sweden-India partnership. Instead, we both share an ambition to scale up our cooperation on space.

[00:04:49]Your space program has seen some exceptional achievements in the past few years, including the successful lunar landing in 2023.

[00:05:01]We don't have exactly that ambition yet.

[00:05:08]But Sweden, too, is a space nation with unique European capabilities, not least through the Esrange Space Center in the most northern part of Sweden. Actually, the only one on continental European Union soil.

[00:05:26]Esrange provides international parties with ground network and rocket test services. My government invests heavily in the development of orbital launch capability for defense purposes at Esrange.

[00:05:40]Our bilateral space cooperation has been ongoing for a long time. India's Space Research Organization and Sweden's National Space have joined forces since the 1980s.

[00:05:55]Now, I see great scope for India and Sweden to pursue enhanced cooperation in this area, and I'm very pleased that two of two of two space organizations have signed an MOU to collaborate on an instrument that will be part of the Venus Orbiter mission. So, Sweden is proud to be on our way to Venus together with India.

[00:06:19]On trade, finally, we have a joint ambition to double our bilateral trade and investments within 5 years. With current speed, I actually believe it could become reality even sooner.

[00:06:33]The decisive conclusion of the India-EU free trade agreement is largely due to the foresight, the determination, and the personal leadership of Prime Minister Modi and President von der Leyen. Thank you both very, very much.

[00:06:50]Sweden is a pretty small country, but also a pretty big trading nation. Thanks to the two of you, great opportunity lies before us.

[00:07:00]This deal on free trade is estimated to to create some 23,000 new jobs in Sweden, with more than 6,000 of them here in the Gothenburg region.

[00:07:12]But, I regard this free trade agreement not as the end of the road, but the beginning of a new journey. Sweden, together with India and with our European friends, is very committed to make sure this partnership lives up to its true potential.

[00:07:29]Very finally, in this unpredictable and sometimes dangerous world, the EU and India are partners that promote stability and prosperity.

[00:07:40]Or, as you, President von der Leyen, stated in your landmark address in New Delhi last year, if we get it right, the Europe-India relationship could be one of the defining partnerships of the century.

[00:07:57]And I very much agree on that.

[00:07:59]And Prime Minister Modi, I know the year 2047 holds a special meaning in India, since it marks the 100th year anniversary of the birth of the Republic. And you have laid out a clear vision for this occasion. Viksit Bharat.

[00:08:19]Sweden and the entire European Union will be India's partners on this journey all the way to 2047 and beyond. Thank you so much.

[00:08:31]Please.

[00:08:32]Thank you very much, Prime Minister Kristersson, dear Ulf. Thank you for inviting me to join you here in beautiful Gothenburg, >> [snorts] >> one of the Nordic region's great trading and industrial hubs.

[00:08:46]And please allow me to join you in extending the warmest of European greetings and welcomes to you, Prime Minister Modi, dear Narendra.

[00:08:55]It has only been a few months since you hosted me in New Delhi for our groundbreaking EU-India Summit.

[00:09:05]We succeeded, indeed, in concluding our landmark trade agreement. We call it the mother of all deals.

[00:09:13]And just look at some of the figures.

[00:09:16]A shared market of over 2 billion people.

[00:09:20]That is close to 1/4 of global GDP.

[00:09:25]Over 90% of tariff cuts.

[00:09:29]Enormous opportunity to grow trade and investment.

[00:09:33]From here in Gothenburg, Scandinavia's largest trading port, to Mundra Port in your home state in Gujarat.

[00:09:42]And in doing so, creating jobs and prosperity for our people.

[00:09:48]There is no time to lose in turning this opportunity in reality.

[00:09:54]And that's why we are committed to sign the agreement by the end of the year and making it fully operational at record [clears throat] speed.

[00:10:03]I'm also pleased to announce that we will mark this moment with a large-scale business event for European and Indian companies.

[00:10:15]And the aim is simple.

[00:10:17]We want to give business the information and guidance they need to start benefiting from the day deal from day one on.

[00:10:28]But trade is only half of the equation.

[00:10:32]Our next step must be to deliver an investment agreement.

[00:10:36]And this is the missing piece of the puzzle in our reinforced economic cooperation.

[00:10:43]Especially in a world where supply chains are being reshaped and economic security challenges as as never before.

[00:10:52]Deepening our investment ties will help us to de-risk and to diversify.

[00:11:01]Basically, one can say the trade agreement opened the door and investment agreement walks us through this door.

[00:11:10]And from the foundation, member states like Sweden can build stronger bilateral ties with India.

[00:11:18]Your new strategic partnership, you just mentioned dear Ulf, is proof of this.

[00:11:23]And this is exactly how it should be.

[00:11:26]The commitment to double economic exchange between two countries in the next 5 years.

[00:11:32]That is the ambition that Europe needs.

[00:11:36]I hope that other member states will follow Sweden's good example.

[00:11:41]In January, we not only signed the mother of all deals, we also moved closer on security and defense, on which we signed our partnership.

[00:11:52]And with the first EU-India security and defense dialogue in New Delhi, we continue to deepen the cooperation, particularly on maritime security, where we will hold joint EU-India naval exercises.

[00:12:10]We will also work together in countering cyber threats, protecting our critical infrastructure, and by generally increasing our information sharing.

[00:12:21]Our cooperation can help bring stability to an unstable world and provide security to our citizens.

[00:12:30]Prime Ministers, dear Ulf, dear Narendra, today you have talked about the importance of working together in the emerging technology space.

[00:12:40]Our EU-India trade and technology council is already showing the way forward.

[00:12:46]Under its umbrella, we are aligning our AI governance, we're working together on semiconductors, we're strengthening the resilience of our supply chains, and we are ensuring interoperability between our digital systems.

[00:13:04]We will discuss these topics at the next meeting in July.

[00:13:10]And as you said, Ulf, we are shooting for the stars.

[00:13:15]As we work to explore new frontiers in our EU-India space dialogue, and again, Sweden is showing the way as the home of mainland Europe's only space base.

[00:13:29]And India's already shooting for the moon with your successful landing there.

[00:13:35]Our work together in space will help and strengthen will help strengthen not only our security, but of course also our prosperity.

[00:13:44]All in all, this dynamic new era in EU-India relations opens historic opportunities and we are determined to seize them.

[00:13:55]Many thanks.

[00:13:57]Thank you so much, Ursula. Please, Prime Minister.

[00:14:04]Your Excellency, Prime Minister Krishna, Your Excellency, Ursula-ji, Dono Desho ke delegates, media ke sathyo, namaskar.

[00:14:22]Sabse pehle main Pradhan Mantri Krishna se unke snehpurna swagat ke liye hriday se dhanyawad karta hoon.

[00:14:33]>> [clears throat] >> Kuch samay pehle mujhe Sweden ke Royal Order of the Polar Star ke sarvoch samman se sammanit kiya gaya.

[00:14:48]Is sirf mera samman nahi hai.

[00:14:53]Yeh 140 crore Bharat vasiyon ka samman hai.

[00:14:59]Yeh Sweden ke hamare un sabhi sathiyon ka bhi samman hai jinhone Bharat-Sweden sambandhon ko samriddh kiya, ek mazboot aadhar diya.

[00:15:15]Aaj ke karyakram mein shamil hone ke liye main Ursula-ji ka vishesh aabhar vyakt karta hoon.

[00:15:24]we share our heart with the car park.

[00:15:28]Sweden or Europe gay industrial heartland Gothenburg may Anna Mary after completion of data friends Bharat or Sweden gets a month with Andre William rule of law or human-centric development in my good knee pain I don't know that I'm going to know innovation for because my damn one day I sustainability for opening the military summit there our democracy call I don't need to talk at Monday I I'll give back to me I'm going to install my entire other part I get one day but that Jackie I check the mayor but they say you could be with me I'm going to have my son and daughter call strategic partnership is so true about the government off the year is partnership and I got I'm green transition Roxanne emerging technology that the people to people died that they move somewhere but I get by the end game friends a I health tech or green mobility just say high-tech to me I might have say you got but what about potential I is what about me I owe you a I impact summit may Sweden say a body business delegation in Bulgaria technology and AI corridor call.

[00:17:23]My butt connect with me.

[00:17:25]Call initiative for come calling me.

[00:17:29]Don't know they show start up.

[00:17:33]Are research ecosystem beach?

[00:17:36]Some people are done with me.

[00:17:38]I'm India Sweden science and technology center banana.

[00:17:45]Climate change.

[00:17:47]Our sustainability.

[00:17:49]It's probably a lot of Sweden key search me.

[00:17:53]Strong convergence.

[00:17:57]Leadership group for industry transition.

[00:18:01]And a lead IT.

[00:18:04]I'm a sad job global initiative.

[00:18:07]Just get on to get home.

[00:18:09]Low carbon industrial transformation for both the right.

[00:18:15]I don't know me.

[00:18:16]It's getting to say to them but.

[00:18:19]Come calling me and then I leave.

[00:18:22]I bought them a.

[00:18:23]Green hydrogen.

[00:18:25]Circular economy.

[00:18:28]Our sustainable infrastructure but.

[00:18:31]But if I want to put come here to have a hot day.

[00:18:35]I'm Sweden key technology.

[00:18:38]I bought this cake with me luck at.

[00:18:41]What if you can leave?

[00:18:43]Climate solution say I can take care of you.

[00:18:47]I bought them a Sweden car.

[00:18:50]Arctic region for sale.

[00:18:53]Basic climate understanding with my phone you got to do that.

[00:18:59]Friends.

[00:19:00]Russia gets it to me.

[00:19:02]I'm a sale.

[00:19:04]Near and by the way I have a.

[00:19:07]Sweden key company or the weather.

[00:19:10]I bought them a.

[00:19:11]Production facility banana.

[00:19:19]buyer seller relationships long-term industrial friends Ursula I just is January man Bharat Bharat EU EU EU EU outcomes for India EU industries investors innovators Ursula G mother all security and defense partnership our mobility agreement say our strategic India EU and technology Council name digital technologies clean energy semiconductors resilient supply chains or innovation political economic or strategic convergence EU Shanti >> Friends Excellencies Thank you very much.

[00:23:27]>> Hey.