Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 18 May 2025 held bilateral consultations with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in Gothenburg, Sweden, with the two leaders agreeing to elevate the India-Sweden relationship to a full Strategic Partnership. The meeting, which also saw the participation of Crown Princess Victoria, marks a significant upgrade in ties between the two democracies, according to a statement from India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Royal Participation and Warm Exchanges

Crown Princess Victoria joined the bilateral meeting and conveyed warm wishes from King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden. Prime Minister Modi, in turn, conveyed his personal wishes on the occasion of the Swedish King's 80th birthday. The exchange underscored the warmth in diplomatic relations between the two countries at the highest levels.

Four Pillars of the Strategic Partnership

The newly announced Strategic Partnership will be guided by four pillars, as outlined in the MEA statement: Strategic Dialogue for Stability and Security; Next-Generation Economic Partnership; Emerging Technologies and Trusted Connectivity; and Shaping Tomorrow Together — People, Planet, Health and Resilience.

To operationalise the partnership, the two leaders adopted the India-Sweden Joint Action Plan 2026–2030, described by the MEA as a 'comprehensive roadmap for cooperation across political, economic, technological, security, climate and people-to-people domains.'

Trade, Technology, and the India-EU FTA

The two leaders reviewed the full range of bilateral engagement, acknowledging growing momentum across trade and investment, innovation, green transition, emerging technologies, defence and security, digitalisation, SMEs, space, research, education and culture. They also underscored that the recently concluded India-EU Free Trade Agreement has opened a new chapter in economic ties and agreed to work toward its early implementation.

Prime Minister Kristersson specifically appreciated India's strides in digital transformation and Artificial Intelligence, and noted the positive contribution of the Indian community to Sweden's economy and innovation ecosystem. Modi, in response, invited further Swedish participation in India's growth story.

Global Issues and Counter-Terrorism

The two leaders exchanged views on key regional and global issues, emphasising the urgency of reform of the United Nations and other multilateral organisations. Prime Minister Modi also thanked Sweden for its strong support in the global fight against terrorism. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to promoting peace, stability, resilient supply chains and sustainable economic growth.

In a post on his official X account, Modi said: 'Held wonderful discussions with PM Ulf Kristersson. It was great to have Crown Princess Victoria also join the meeting... India-Sweden relations are built on the strong foundations of democratic values, rule of law and human-centric development... we decided to elevate our relations to a Strategic Partnership.'

With the Joint Action Plan now in place, both governments are expected to initiate institutional dialogues across the identified pillars in the months ahead.