"Can develop climate solution for entire world": PM Modi on establishment of India-Sweden Science and Technology Centre
Gothenburg, May 18
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced the establishment of an India-Sweden Science and Technology Centre and called for deeper collaboration in green industrial transformation, as India and Sweden expanded cooperation in innovation, sustainability and clean technology during the European Round Table for Industry in Gothenburg.
Speaking at the CEO Round Table in Gothenburg, PM Modi said, "To enhance connectivity between the startup and research ecosystems of both countries, we are establishing an India-Sweden Science and Technology Centre."
Highlighting climate cooperation between the two countries, the Prime Minister 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."
He further underlined India's ongoing work in green sectors and the scope for joint innovation with Sweden.
"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," PM Modi said.
Meanwhile, PM Modi also met Robert Maersk Uggla, Chairman of Maersk, on the sidelines of the visit and discussed investment opportunities in India.
In a post on X, PM Modi said, "In Gothenburg, met Robert Maersk Uggla, Chairman of Maersk. We discussed the large scope of opportunities in India and deepening investments, especially in sectors like port infrastructure, logistics and more."
Meanwhile, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Sweden marks another milestone in India-Sweden relations, while emphasising the shared ambition to significantly deepen economic and strategic cooperation between India and Europe.
Addressing the European CEO Round Table hosted by Volvo Group, Kristersson said the European Union, Sweden and India recognise the immense potential of stronger partnerships at a time when the world remains increasingly complex and unpredictable. Highlighting growing economic cooperation, Kristersson said both countries share the ambition of doubling bilateral trade and investment within the next five years.
"The European Union, Sweden and India all recognise the immense potential that lies in deepening our partnership, not least when the world is as complicated and unpredictable as it obviously is today. PM Modi, your visit marks another milestone in the history of India-Sweden relations... We have a joint ambition to double our bilateral trade and investments within five years. With the current speed, I actually believe it could become a reality even sooner," the Swedish PM said.
Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who also addressed the CEO Round Table, said the India-EU summit held earlier this year in New Delhi marked a turning point in bilateral ties. She added that both sides are committed to signing and operationalising the agreement at record speed by the end of the year.
"It has only been a few months since you (PM Modi) hosted me in New Delhi for our ground-breaking EU-India summit. We succeeded indeed in concluding our landmark trade agreement - we call it the mother of all deals... we are committed to signing the agreement by the end of the year and making it fully operational at record speed," said von der Leyen.
Von der Leyen further welcomed Sweden's commitment to doubling economic exchanges with India over the next five years and expressed hope that other European nations would follow Sweden's example in strengthening ties with India.
— ANI
Reader Comments
While the collaboration sounds promising, I hope we focus on actual implementation rather than just announcements. We've seen many such MoUs before that didn't translate into ground-level action. The India-Sweden Science and Technology Centre needs to deliver tangible outcomes for both startups and research institutions. Let's see how this plays out in the next year.
This is exactly what we need - combining Sweden's cutting-edge green technology with India's manufacturing muscle! The circular economy and sustainable infrastructure are key areas where India can become a global hub. Plus, the Maersk partnership on ports and logistics will boost our trade infrastructure. Win-win for both nations! 💪
"Mother of all deals" - love the term for the India-EU trade agreement! The fact that both sides are committed to signing it by year-end shows serious intent. Sweden doubling trade with India sets an example for other European nations. With our demographic dividend and their innovation, we can really lead the green industrial transformation globally.
One concern: Are our domestic startups actually getting enough support to collaborate with Swedish counterparts? Often such high-level deals benefit large corporations more than small innovators. I hope the Science and Technology Centre has clear guidelines to include grassroots innovators from tier-2 and tier-3 cities. India's real strength lies in jugaad innovation at the local level.
Amazing to see PM Modi's global outreach yielding concrete results! The Leadership Group for Industry Transition's third phase shows sustained commitment. India's massive scale in green hydrogen and sustainable infrastructure combined with Swedish tech expertise could truly create solutions deployable across Africa and Asia. This is how we should engage with the world -
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.