PM Modi to hold virtual summit with Swedish counterpart on Friday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a virtual summit with his Swedish counterpart Stefan Löfven on Friday during which they will deliberate on the entire spectrum of bilateral ties and exchange views on regional and global issues, including further strengthening of cooperation in the post-COVID era.

India and Sweden have warm and friendly relations based on shared values of democracy, freedom, pluralism and rules-based international order, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

Both countries have very close cooperation in the areas of trade and investment, innovation, science and technology as well as research and development, it said.

During the summit, the two leaders will hold comprehensive discussions on the entire spectrum of bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and global issues, including further strengthening of cooperation in the post-COVID era, the MEA said.

A statement issued by the Swedish government also said that the two leaders will discuss ways to further strengthen cooperation between Sweden and India in the post-COVID era -- "a stronger and sustainable innovation partnership".

Swedish Prime Minister Löfven said, “I look forward to tomorrow's summit with India. Not least the discussions on how we can strengthen cooperation to fight the pandemic and build more resilient, sustainable and equal societies after COVID-19." "We will present a number of initiatives in areas such as climate, innovation and health cooperation," he said.

Besides bilateral engagement, the interaction would also include a wide range of topics including regional and global issues of mutual importance, the Swedish government said.

“Sweden and India have always been strong partners. Since Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Sweden in 2018, the innovation partnership has become one of the flagships of our relations along with our collaborations in a wide range of sectors, including health, transportation, telecom, defence, clean energy and circular economy," Klas Molin, Ambassador of Sweden to India, said.

"The common thread of innovation runs through our partnership,” he said and that "our close relations, which are based on shared values and norms, goes back to the time of independence and continues to grow stronger". This will be the fifth interaction between the two leaders since 2015, according to the MEA statement.

Prime Minister Modi had visited Stockholm in April 2018 for the First India Nordic Summit, while Löfven had visited India in February 2016 for the special Make in India week, it noted. Earlier, the two leaders had met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September 2015.

In April last year, the two prime ministers had a telephonic conversation to discuss the situation arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, Their Majesties Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden had visited India in December 2019.

Around 250 Swedish companies are actively operating in India in various sectors such as health and life sciences, auto industry, clean technology, defence, heavy machinery and equipment, the statement said. Around 75 Indian companies are also active in Sweden, it said.