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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged Swedish and European manufacturers to invest in India, saying that the nation's "reform express" was moving
"at full speed". Addressing a roundtable in Sweden, the Prime Minister also highlighted opportunities in manufacturing, clean energy, artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure. Speaking at the European Round Table for Industry (ERT) in Gothenburg, PM Modi said India had spent the past 12 years on "reforms, performance, and transformation". "With the government's political will, this Reform Express is moving forward at full speed," he added.
Focus on Investment and Technology
Wooing European companies, PM Modi highlighted the potential in five broad areas, including telecom and digital infrastructure, and said they can help in making India a global R&D hub. Electronics, deep tech manufacturing, AI, green energy, infrastructure, mobility, urban transformation, healthcare and life science are among the other areas where the prime minister sought collaboration.
"The next wave of technology innovation should be co-created in India," he told the business leaders. The event was attended by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and senior executives from major European and Indian companies.
India-EU Trade Agreement
PM Modi also hailed the recent Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union (EU), calling it a "transformative economic partnership". "We have set an ambitious and strategic agenda at the level of governments," he said. "As Ursula von der Leyen had said, this is the mother of all deals. We are trying to implement this as soon as possible."
In January, India and EU concluded the FTA. He also noted that connectivity projects such as the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) add new value to the India-Europe business partnership.
PM Modi described India as one of the world's most attractive destinations for investment and manufacturing, pointing to rapid economic growth, infrastructure expansion and digital public services.
He reiterated India's vision of "Design for India, Make in India and Export from India" and invited European businesses to deepen partnerships with the country.
The Prime Minister also stressed the importance of education, skills and talent mobility between India and Europe, describing India's young workforce as a major driver of future economic growth. He proposed holding an India-Europe CEOs roundtable every year and suggested creating an India desk within the ERT framework.
Talks with Business Leaders
During a separate interaction with Swedish business leaders alongside Crown Princess Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden and Kristersson, PM Modi said India and Sweden shared values of democracy, transparency, innovation and sustainability.
According to India's external affairs ministry, he said the relationship between the two countries had evolved beyond a traditional buyer-seller model into a broader industrial and innovation partnership.
PM Modi invited Swedish companies to participate in initiatives including "Make in India", the National Green Hydrogen Mission and the National Critical Mineral Mission. Discussions also focused on resilient supply chains, green transition policies, sustainable mobility, life sciences and digital technologies.
