Gothengburg, May 18: Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on Sunday outlined an expanded roadmap for India-Sweden cooperation, highlighting deeper engagement in innovation, emerging technologies, defence, green transition and space collaboration.
Speaking at a joint press interaction alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during the European Round Table for Industry in Gothenburg, Kristersson detailed a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening bilateral ties.
Among the key outcomes, Sweden and India agreed to launch Joint Innovation Partnership 2.0 and establish a joint science and technology centre to connect academic institutions and advance research collaboration.
Kristersson said the two countries will also strengthen political engagement on security and defence through structured dialogue, including interactions between their national security advisors.
He announced the formation of a leadership group for industrial transition under the LEAD-IT initiative, to be jointly co-chaired by India and Sweden, aimed at accelerating the green transition of heavy industries globally.
Highlighting growing space cooperation, the Swedish Prime Minister said India and Sweden are expanding collaboration beyond traditional sectors, including artificial intelligence, geospatial technologies and space research.
He noted that Sweden’s space agency and the Indian Space Research Organisation, which have collaborated since the 1980s, have signed a new memorandum of understanding to jointly develop an instrument for India’s Venus orbiter mission.
“Sky is not the limit for the Sweden-India partnership,” Kristersson said, expressing confidence over the expanding strategic relationship.
The Swedish Prime Minister said both countries share the ambition of doubling bilateral trade and investment within the next five years and suggested that current momentum could help achieve the target earlier.
Referring to the proposed India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Kristersson described the pact as the beginning of a broader economic partnership rather than its conclusion.
He said the India-EU FTA is projected to generate around 23,000 jobs in Sweden, including more than 6,000 in the Gothenburg region, underscoring its economic significance for both sides.
