Press Information Bureau

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal  held a series of substantive engagements with senior members of the Swedish government and industry leaders on day one of his two-day official visit to Stockholm. The visit aimed at further deepening the bilateral economic relationship, enhancing trade and investment flows, and exploring new avenues of cooperation in emerging sectors.

In his official interactions, Shri Goyal met with H.E. Mr. Benjamin Dousa, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, and H.E. Mr. Håkan Jevrell, State Secretary for Foreign Trade. Discussions focused on expanding the scope of India–Sweden trade and investment partnership, facilitating sustainable industrial collaboration, and identifying key areas for technology and innovation-driven growth.

The 21st session of the India–Sweden Joint Commission for Economic, Industrial and Scientific Cooperation was held during the visit. The session was co-chaired by H.E. Mr. Håkan Jevrell, State Secretary for Foreign Trade, Joint Secretary from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Shri Sanjiv and Joint Secretary from the Department of Commerce, Shri Saket Kumar,. The agenda included strategic cooperation in innovation and research and a roundtable discussion on strengthening the India–Sweden economic partnership. The meeting witnessed participation from key Swedish institutions including LeadIT, Vinnova, the Swedish Energy Agency, the Swedish National Space Agency, the National Board of Trade, the Swedish Export Credit Agency, Business Sweden, and the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in India. Both sides underscored their shared commitment to advancing joint projects in green transition, advanced technologies, and resilient supply chains.

Shri Goyal also addressed the India–Sweden Business Leaders’ Roundtable, where he interacted with key members of Swedish industry. He invited companies to enhance their footprint in India by taking advantage of the country’s enabling regulatory environment, growing consumer base, skilled talent pool, and well-developed industrial infrastructure. The Roundtable served as a platform for strengthening private-sector collaboration in clean energy, smart manufacturing, mobility, life sciences, and digital technologies.

The Minister participated in the India–Sweden High-Level Trade and Investment Policy Forum at the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise. The Forum brought together business leaders and policy-makers from both sides to discuss the evolving trade architecture and opportunities under the proposed India–EU Free Trade Agreement. Presentations were made by CII and the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise. CEOs from leading companies shared their views on enhancing value-chain partnerships, technology transfers, and investment facilitation.

A number of one-on-one meetings were held with Swedish companies from sectors such as automation, renewable energy, sustainable food systems, maritime technology, and advanced materials. Several companies conveyed strong confidence in the Indian economy and expressed intent to scale their presence through new investments, capacity expansion, and deeper localisation. Areas of support discussed included facilitation in land access, skilling partnerships, and fast-track clearances.

The Embassy of India and the Sweden–India Business Council co-hosted a Roundtable Reception in the evening with business stakeholders, thought leaders, and government representatives. Shri Goyal reiterated India’s vision of becoming a global manufacturing and innovation hub and called for sustained partnership with Sweden in critical sectors such as green technologies, innovation-led growth, and digital public infrastructure.

The engagements in Stockholm reflect the continued momentum in the India–Sweden strategic partnership and reaffirm the shared ambition to collaborate on high-impact, future-oriented initiatives.

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Abhijith Narayanan