European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised a “dynamic new era” in relations between the European Union and India as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Sweden during the second leg of his European diplomatic tour.
Modi arrived in Gothenburg on Sunday, where he met Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson alongside senior European and Indian business leaders at the European Business Round Table for Industry.
Ahead of the meeting, Modi highlighted the importance of stronger economic cooperation between India and Europe, stating that enhanced partnerships would deepen trade and investment ties across both regions.
During the discussions, von der Leyen reaffirmed the European Union’s commitment to finalising the landmark EU-India trade agreement signed earlier this year in New Delhi. Often described as the “mother of all deals,” the agreement is expected to become one of the largest bilateral trade pacts globally.
The proposed deal covers nearly two billion people and represents close to a quarter of global economic output. Under the agreement, India is expected to reduce or eliminate tariffs on 96.6% of European goods exports, while the EU plans to liberalise 99.5% of tariff lines for Indian imports over a seven-year period.
Speaking at the event, von der Leyen stressed that trade alone would not define the future relationship between the two sides. She called for a dedicated investment agreement to strengthen long-term economic cooperation and accelerate cross-border investments.
According to European officials, the expanded partnership is expected to create new opportunities across sectors including manufacturing, clean energy, technology, digital innovation, and infrastructure development.
Modi and Kristersson also held bilateral talks focused on enhancing cooperation in trade, defence, innovation, and strategic investments between India and Sweden.
Prior to arriving in Sweden, Modi visited the Netherlands, where he signed a strategic partnership agreement aimed at expanding collaboration in technology, trade, and energy sectors.
The Indian Prime Minister is next scheduled to attend the India-Nordic Summit in Oslo, where leaders from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland are expected to discuss cooperation in renewable energy, defence, Arctic development, space technology, and digital innovation.
Modi’s European tour will conclude in Italy with a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The leaders are expected to review progress under the Joint Strategic Action Plan signed in 2024, focusing on defence cooperation, economic growth, and legal migration pathways.
