Pahalgam attack, Operation Sindoor and Sweden’s top honour: Why PM Modi’s Gothenburg visit is in spotlight

The Sweden visit forms the third leg of PM Modi’s multi-country Europe tour. After concluding engagements in Gothenburg, he is scheduled to travel to Norway later on May 18.

Gothenburg (Sweden): Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sweden turned into a mix of strategic talks, defence cooperation, economic outreach and diplomatic recognition, with terrorism and India-Europe ties taking centre stage during high-level meetings in Gothenburg.

Addressing the European CEO Round Table hosted by the Volvo Group, PM Modi thanked Sweden for backing India post April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 people, including 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen. Calling terrorism a threat to all humanity, the prime minister said democracies like India and Sweden must work more closely in a world facing rising tensions and security challenges.

The statements came weeks after India launched Operation Sindoor during the night of May 6 and 7, targeting nine terror camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Modi said India would continue its fight against terrorism and those supporting it, while also appreciating Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson for Stockholm’s support after the Pahalgam attack.

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The Sweden visit also pushed forward India’s growing defence partnership with the Nordic country. PM Modi said ties between the two nations were moving beyond a traditional buyer-seller arrangement and entering a phase of long-term industrial cooperation. He pointed to Swedish companies setting up production facilities in the country as proof that defence ties were becoming deeper and more practical.

Apart from defence, the talks between the two sides covered trade, artificial intelligence, startups, green transition, resilient supply chains, space cooperation and emerging technologies. Bilateral trade between the two countries reached $7.75 billion in 2025, and the two sides are now looking to widen cooperation in investment and innovation.

A major highlight of the visit was also India’s engagement with the European Union (EU). Modi thanked European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for attending the CEO round table and referred to her January visit to India, where several decisions were taken to strengthen India-EU relations. He said work on those decisions was moving ahead and described the proposed India-EU Free Trade Agreement as a deal that could open opportunities for businesses, investors and innovators on both sides.

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The visit gained more diplomatic weight after Sweden conferred its highest honour for a foreign head of government on PM Modi. He received the ‘Royal Order of Polar Star Commander Grand Cross’, becoming the recipient of the 31st international honour awarded to him by a foreign nation.

The award is among Sweden’s top state recognitions and is given for contributions that help strengthen Sweden’s interests and international partnerships. Swedish authorities credited the honour to PM Modi’s role in expanding India-Sweden cooperation across trade, sustainability, technology and innovation.

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Modi’s arrival in Sweden was accompanied by several ceremonial gestures. Swedish Air Force fighter jets escorted his aircraft as it entered Swedish airspace, while PM Kristersson personally received him at Gothenburg Airport.

The Indian prime minister also met members of the Indian diaspora in Gothenburg, where cultural programmes added a local touch to the diplomatic visit. Swedish opera singer Charlotta Huldt performed the bhajan ‘Vaishnava Jana To’, while students from Lilla Akademien presented a Bharatanatyam recital. Bengali cultural performances were also organised during the community event, something PM Modi later acknowledged on social media by saying Bengali culture continues to enjoy popularity far beyond India.

The Sweden visit forms the third leg of PM Modi’s multi-country Europe tour. After concluding engagements in Gothenburg, he is scheduled to travel to Norway later on May 18.