PM Modi Meets European CEOs, Receives Sweden's Highest Civilian Honour

Expanding global footprint: PM Modi meets business leaders at European Round Table for Industry

Gothenburg, May 17

The high-powered meeting served as a premier platform for the Prime Minister to engage directly with top-tier European business leaders, fostering a dynamic environment for strategic investments and industrial synergy.

This crucial business dialogue ran parallel to a monumental moment in statecraft. Adding a historic milestone to his global diplomatic portfolio, PM Narendra Modi, on Sunday, received Sweden's prestigious "Royal Order of Polar Star Commander Grand Cross".

This is the highest honour awarded by the Scandinavian nation to a Head of Government, conferred as India and Sweden moved to deepen cooperation in trade, defence, emerging technologies and green transition.

The exceptional conferral marks PM Modi's 31st international award from a foreign nation. The Royal Order of the Polar Star, instituted in 1748, is conferred in recognition of exceptional contributions to Sweden and Swedish interests, particularly in public service and international cooperation, according to official information.

Setting the stage for this high-profile diplomatic engagement, PM Modi arrived in Sweden earlier in the day for a two-day visit and was received at Gothenburg Airport by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in a special gesture.

Signalling the immense geopolitical weight Stockholm attaches to the visit, Swedish Air Force fighter jets escorted the Prime Minister's aircraft as it entered Swedish airspace.

Stepping straight from the tarmac into high-stakes diplomacy soon after his arrival, PM Modi held delegation-level talks with Kristersson, during which the two leaders reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations and explored new avenues to boost cooperation.

The comprehensive discussions focused on trade, investments, defence, artificial intelligence, startups, resilient supply chains, climate action, space and emerging technologies.

This forward-looking agenda is backed by a robust financial foundation, as bilateral trade between the two countries reached USD 7.75 billion in 2025, with both sides expressing interest in expanding economic engagement and innovation partnerships.

Reflecting his clear vision for the visit ahead of the talks, PM Modi said he looked forward to advancing India-Sweden cooperation in areas including investments, innovation and defence.

This pivotal visit also marks PM Modi's first trip to Sweden since attending the inaugural India-Nordic Summit in 2018.

Parallel to the core official engagements, the visit also witnessed vibrant cross-border synergy as the Prime Minister also interacted with members of the Indian diaspora in Gothenburg, where he received a warm cultural welcome.

In a touching display of musical and artistic harmony, Swedish opera singer Charlotta Huldt performed the bhajan 'Vaishnava Jana To', while students of Lilla Akademien presented a Bharatanatyam recital.

Adding an extra layer of diplomatic warmth to the celebratory gathering, Bengali cultural traditions were also showcased in the presence of PM Kristersson.

Delighted by the performance, PM Modi later said on social media that Bengali culture enjoys popularity across the world, including in Sweden.

— ANI