India and Sweden on Sunday (May 17, 2026) 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 sectors.

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.

PM Modi in Sweden updates on May 17, 2026

During the delegation-level talks, the two Prime Ministers reviewed the full spectrum of India-Sweden relations and agreed to elevate the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership, marking a major milestone in the relationship.

“In light of our growing cooperation across every sector, we have decided to elevate our relationship to the level of a Strategic Partnership. In this partnership, we will focus and move ahead on green transition, security, emerging technology and people-to-people ties,” PM Modi said.

Prime Minister Modi made these remarks while adressing the joint press meet with PM Kristersson and President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

“We have good potential in sectors like AI, health tech and green mobility. During the AI-Impact Summit in India, a delegation from Sweden participated. We will work on the Sweden-India technology and AI corridor,” he added.

The Prime Minister said that cooperation between the two sides in the defence sector is continuously expanding.

“The establishment of production facilities in India by Swedish companies stands as a testament to the fact that we are moving beyond a mere buyer-seller relationship towards a long-term industrial partnership,” he said.

In today’s stressful global situation, close cooperation between democracies like India and Sweden holds special importance. For the resolution of various tensions and problems, India has always emphasised dialogue and diplomacy, he said.

PM Modi said that India and Sweden agreed that terrorism is a serious challenge for all of humanity.

“I express my gratitude to Prime Minister Kristersson for the support we received from Sweden following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam last year. We will continue the fight against terrorism and its supporters,” he added.

Mr. Modi said the relationship between India and Sweden rests upon a strong foundation of democratic values, the rule of law, and human-centric development.

“Both our nations view innovation as a vehicle for development, regard sustainability as a shared responsibility, and consider democracy to be our greatest strength…,” he added.

To enhance connectivity between the startup and research ecosystems of both countries, the two sides have decided to establish an India-Sweden Science and Technology Centre, he said.

“The Leadership Group for Industry Transition is our shared global initiative, under which we are emphasising low-carbon industrial transformation. Today, we have decided to embark on its third phase.”

“In India, work is being undertaken on a massive scale in the fields of Green Hydrogen, Circular Economy, and Sustainable Infrastructure. By combining Sweden’s technology with India’s scale, we can develop climate solutions for the entire world…,” he said.

During European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s visit to India in January, the two sides took several historic decisions aimed at elevating India-EU relations to new heights, the pPrime Minister said.

“Progress is being made on all those outcomes. The India-EU FTA will unlock new opportunities for industries, investors, and innovators. To quote Ursula, this is the ‘Mother of All Deals.’..,” he said.

Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that during the bilateral talks, the two prime ministers discussed ways to deepen cooperation in trade & investment, technology and innovation, green transition, space, emerging technologies, defence & security, SMEs, research and people-to-people ties.

The bilateral trade reached $7.75 billion in 2025.

They agreed to identify new opportunities in the spirit of the India-EU Strategic Partnership and recently concluded the India-EU FTA for the benefit of their peoples.

PM Kristersson appreciated the strides being made by India in the field of digital transformation and Artificial Intelligence.

He also noted the positive contribution of the Indian community in Sweden. Prime Minister Modi invited further Swedish participation in India’s growth story.

The leaders also exchanged perspectives on regional and global issues.

They emphasised the urgency to reform the UN and multilateral organisations, and agreed to advance cooperation in multilateral fora.

Crown Princess Victoria also participated in the meeting and conveyed warm wishes from the King and Queen of Sweden.

PM Modi thanked his hosts for the warm welcome and conveyed warm wishes to King Carl XVI Gustav on his 80th birthday.

Separately, PM Modi also met Robert Maersk Uggla, Chairman of Maersk and discussed the large scope of opportunities in India and deepening investments, especially in sectors like port infrastructure, logistics and more.

PM Modi appreciated Maersk’s longstanding presence in India and encouraged them to invest in new business opportunities in the fields of maritime logistics and port infrastructure in the country, Mr. Jaiswal said in a post on X.

“They also discussed collaboration in green shipping and skilled mobility,” Mr. Jaiswal added.

Earlier, the Prime Minister’s aircraft was escorted by Swedish Air Force jets as it entered the European country’s airspace.

He was given a warm welcome at the airport by his Swedish counterpart in a special gesture. Mr. Modi had earlier visited Sweden in 2018 for the first-ever India-Nordic Summit.

Soon after arriving in Gothenburg, Mr. Modi met members of the Indian diaspora. He was welcomed with musical performances, including the rendition of ‘Vaishnava Jana To’ bhajan by Swedish opera singer Charlotta Huldt and a mesmerising Bharatanatyam performance by the students of Lilla Akademien.

During the reception, in the presence of PM Kristersson, a spectacular example of Bengali culture was showcased. “Bengali culture is popular world over and Sweden is no exception,” Mr. Modi said on social media.

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.

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.

In his comments, Mr. Jetten also highlighted various key aspects of growing ties between the two countries and announced elevating the relations to the level of strategic partnership.

Ahead of the bilateral talks, PM Modi, along with Mr. Jetten, interacted with prominent CEOs of leading Dutch companies across various sectors such as energy, ports, health, agriculture trade, and technology, among others.

Modi invites Dutch companies to India

PM Modi invited Dutch companies to explore opportunities in India, particularly in maritime, renewable energy, digital technologies, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and healthcare sectors.

“We are continuously reducing compliance and increasing the ease of doing business. We have recently carried out next-generation reforms in taxation, labour code, and governance,” he told the business leaders.

Mr. Modi said manufacturing in India is becoming very cost-effective, and in the services sector, it has become the engine of efficiency and innovation.

“We invite all of you to design and innovate in India. There can be no better time for this than today,” Mr. Modi said.

“Today’s India is a symbol of scale and stability. In terms of scale, we are also the fastest-growing major economy in the world and the world’s largest talent pool. Infrastructure, clean energy or connectivity – no one in the world can match India’s speed,” he said.

“And on the subject of stability, I have completed 12 years of serving as the Prime Minister of the world’s largest democracy. In these 12 years, with continuous reforms, we have transformed our economic DNA. Our direction has been clear – to give policy predictability to the private sector and increase opportunities for them,” he added.

Mr. Modi said his government has opened up every sector for the private sector, be it space, mining or nuclear energy.

The two Prime Ministers underlined the importance of early implementation of the India-EU-FTA.

Published – May 17, 2026 05:03 am IST

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.

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.

In his comments, Mr. Jetten also highlighted various key aspects of growing ties between the two countries and announced elevating the relations to the level of strategic partnership.

Ahead of the bilateral talks, PM Modi, along with Mr. Jetten, interacted with prominent CEOs of leading Dutch companies across various sectors such as energy, ports, health, agriculture trade, and technology, among others.

Modi invites Dutch companies to India

PM Modi invited Dutch companies to explore opportunities in India, particularly in maritime, renewable energy, digital technologies, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and healthcare sectors.

“We are continuously reducing compliance and increasing the ease of doing business. We have recently carried out next-generation reforms in taxation, labour code, and governance,” he told the business leaders.

Mr. Modi said manufacturing in India is becoming very cost-effective, and in the services sector, it has become the engine of efficiency and innovation.

“We invite all of you to design and innovate in India. There can be no better time for this than today,” Mr. Modi said.

“Today’s India is a symbol of scale and stability. In terms of scale, we are also the fastest-growing major economy in the world and the world’s largest talent pool. Infrastructure, clean energy or connectivity – no one in the world can match India’s speed,” he said.

“And on the subject of stability, I have completed 12 years of serving as the Prime Minister of the world’s largest democracy. In these 12 years, with continuous reforms, we have transformed our economic DNA. Our direction has been clear – to give policy predictability to the private sector and increase opportunities for them,” he added.

Mr. Modi said his government has opened up every sector for the private sector, be it space, mining or nuclear energy.

The two Prime Ministers underlined the importance of early implementation of the India-EU-FTA.

Published – May 17, 2026 05:03 am IST

Terming India a “land of opportunities,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the country is undergoing an unprecedented transformation and its aspirations are “no longer limited to its borders”.

Addressing the Indian community in The Hague, the Prime Minister also said India is dreaming big and its youth aspires to reach the sky.

“Today India is saying we don’t just want transformation, we want the best, we want the fastest. That is why when there are unlimited aspirations in India, the efforts are also becoming limitless,” he said in his over 40-minute speech, amid applause from the audience.

“Today’s India is going through a phase of unprecedented transformation,” the Prime Minister said. “You must have seen recently that India hosted the world’s largest and most successful AI Summit. Before that, India also successfully hosted the G20 Summit. And this was not a one-time event. This has now become the character of today’s India.” Mr. Modi praised India’s start-up ecosystem, saying India has the third-largest start-up network in the world. – PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the Netherlands on Friday, May 15, on the second leg of his five-nation tour, during which he will hold talks with his Dutch counterpart Rob Jetten to further deepen bilateral cooperation in areas such as trade, technology, defence and renewable energy.

Mr. Modi was received at the airport by Rear Admiral Ludger Brummelaar, Adjutant-General and Chief of the Military Household of His Majesty the King; Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen; and India’s Ambassador to the Netherlands Kumar Tuhin, along with other senior officials of the Dutch Government.

“Landed in Amsterdam. This visit to the Netherlands comes at a time when India-E.U. Free Trade Agreement has given a major impetus to trade and investment linkages,” the Prime Minister said in a social media post soon after his arrival.