Anurag Bhushan appointed India's new Ambassador to Sweden

IANS May 15, 2025 222 views

India has appointed Anurag Bhushan, an experienced IFS officer, as its new Ambassador to Sweden. The diplomatic relationship between India and Sweden has been robust, with significant high-level interactions and collaborations in technology and innovation. Bhushan comes with extensive experience, having recently co-chaired the India-Saudi Joint Committee Meeting on Labour Cooperation. The appointment underscores the continued strategic importance of bilateral relations between the two countries.

"Innovation, technology, investment and R&D collaborations provide the bedrock of this modern relationship" - MEA Statement
New Delhi, May 15: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday announced that Anurag Bhushan, an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer from the batch of 1995, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Sweden. Bhushan is currently the Additional Secretary in the ministry and is expected to take up the assignment shortly.

Key Points

1

Bhushan replaces Neena Malhotra after her inability to take assignment

2

India-Sweden ties have strong diplomatic engagement since 2014

3

Over 88,400 Indian diaspora currently living in Sweden

Last October, the MEA had announced that Neena Malhotra, an IFS officer from 1992 batch who was posted as an Officer on Special Duty in the ministry, will serve as the next Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Sweden. However, the ministry stated that she could not join due to family constraints.

Bhushan, an Additional Secretary in the Emigration Policy and Welfare (EP&W) division of the ministry, had co-chaired the India-Saudi Joint Committee Meeting on Labour Cooperation, last month.

India and Sweden have long-standing close relations based on common values; strong business, investment, and Research and Development (R&D); and similar approaches to meet global challenges of peace and security, and development.

Regular political engagement, intensifying business ties, cooperation on global challenges and multilateral issues define the strong India Sweden partnership. Innovation, technology, investment and R&D collaborations provide the bedrock of this modern relationship, the ministry states.

The bilateral partnership has witnessed a sharp upswing in the high-level engagement since 2014, with 11 visits/interactions at Head of State/Head of Government level during this period. There has been one PM-level interaction and around 25 ministerial interactions between 2023-25, the MEA details.

The Embassy of India supports the organisation of an annual India Sweden Innovation Day. It also supports other initiatives such as 'Engaging India' at Almedalen. Sweden hosts a Sweden India Nobel Memorial Week in India focusing on promoting business and academic linkages, among other initiatives.

The Indian Diaspora in Sweden is estimated to be over 88,400 that includes around 66,400 Indian nationals. Most of them are professionals, predominantly in the IT sector. There are a large number of Indian researchers and students in Sweden. There are an estimated 2,500 Indian students in Sweden.

So far, around 22,000 Swedish nationals have been issued OCI cards. There are a number of Indian Cultural Associations in Sweden based in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Uppsala, Lund, Malmo, Umea, Kiruna, Helsingborg, Vasteras among others. A wide range of Indian festivals are celebrated across Sweden.

Reader Comments

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Rahul K.
Congratulations to Shri Anurag Bhushan ji! 🇮🇳 Sweden is an important partner for India in technology and innovation. Hope he strengthens our IT sector ties given so many Indian professionals work there. The 88k+ diaspora will surely welcome this appointment!
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Priya M.
Interesting to see the frequent changes in ambassadorial appointments. First Neena Malhotra ji couldn't take up the post, now Bhushan ji is appointed. Hope there's better planning in MEA for such important postings. That said, his experience in labor cooperation will be valuable in Sweden.
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Arjun S.
Sweden may be small but punches above its weight in innovation! With 2,500 Indian students there, we need more scholarship programs. Ambassador Bhushan should focus on education ties - maybe more IIT collaborations with Swedish universities? The Nobel connection is already a great platform.
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Sneha R.
As someone with relatives in Sweden's IT sector, I hope the new ambassador addresses work visa issues. Many skilled Indians face unnecessary hurdles. Also, more cultural events please! The article mentions Indian festivals but we rarely hear about them - better promotion needed.
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Vikram D.
The 22,000 OCI cards to Swedes show how much they love India! 😊 Our soft power is growing. Ambassador Bhushan should leverage this - maybe start yoga and Ayurveda centers in smaller Swedish cities beyond Stockholm. Health and wellness could be the next big export after IT!
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Nandini P.
While we celebrate this appointment, I hope MEA also gives equal attention to our neighboring countries. Sweden is important, but we can't neglect our immediate neighborhood where China is making inroads. That said, all the best to Bhushan sir - make India proud!

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Tags:
Anurag Bhushan Indian Foreign Service Sweden Diplomacy India Foreign Relations MEA Appointment
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