PM Modi, Swedish counterpart Andersson discuss deepening bilateral cooperation

New Delhi, May 4:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met Sweden Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and discussed possibilities of deepening cooperation in areas like innovation, climate technology, climate action, and green hydrogen.

Their meeting, on the sidelines of the second India-Nordic Summit in Copenhagen, was the first between the two leaders.

India and Sweden have had longstanding close relations based on common values, strong business, investment and R&D linkages, and similar approaches to global peace, security and development. Innovation, Technology, Investment and R&D collaborations provide the bedrock of this modern relationship.

During the 2018 visit of Prime Minister Modi to Sweden on the occasion of the 1st India-Nordic Summit, the two sides had adopted a wide-ranging Joint Action Plan and signed a Joint Innovation Partnership.

In Wednesday's meeting, Modi and Andersson reviewed the progress made in the bilateral partnership.

They also expressed satisfaction at the progress made by the Lead IT initiative - an India-Sweden joint global initiative to set up a Leadership Group on Industry Transition (LeadIT) in September 2019 at the UN Climate Action Summit to help guide the world's heaviest greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting industries towards the low-carbon economy. Its membership has now grown to 35 with 16 countries and 19 companies.

Both leaders also discussed possibilities of deepening cooperation in areas like innovation, climate technology, climate action, green hydrogen, space, defence, civil aviation, Arctic, polar research, sustainable mining and trade and economic ties.

Discussions also took place on regional and global developments.

Modi is on three day visit to Germany, Denmark and France, starting from May 2, aimed at further strengthening bilateral cooperation. It is his first visit abroad in 2022.