Modi heads to Sweden after boosting Europe trade and defence links

Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded his Netherlands visit with 17 agreements in defence, critical minerals, and technology before departing for Sweden. Talks with Dutch leaders focused on strategic ties, climate cooperation, and global energy concerns amid West Asia disruptions

The Hague: Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for Sweden on Sunday after concluding a two-day visit to the Netherlands, during which he inked 17 agreements to boost cooperation in defence, critical minerals and other key sectors.

During the visit, Modi held bilateral talks with his Dutch counterpart Rob Jetten on Saturday. Both leaders expressed deep concern over the situation in West Asia, especially its serious implications for the region and the wider world in view of disruptions caused to the global energy supplies and trade networks.

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“My Netherlands visit has added new momentum to India-Netherlands ties. From elevating our relationship to a strategic partnership to expanding cooperation in water resources, semiconductors, innovation, defence, sustainability and mobility, we have charted an ambitious roadmap for the future,” Modi said in a social media post.

He further said: “I express my gratitude to PM Rob Jetten for the warm hospitality and for personally coming to the airport to bid farewell. I am confident that the friendship between India and the

Netherlands will continue to grow stronger in the years to come.” Ahead of the bilateral talks, PM Modi, along with Jetten, interacted with prominent CEOs of leading Dutch companies across various sectors such as energy, ports, health, agriculture trade, and technology, among others. Modi invited Dutch companies to explore opportunities in India, particularly in maritime, renewable energy, digital technologies, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and healthcare sectors.

Before his departure on Sunday, Modi toured the iconic Afsluitdijk Dam, accompanied by Jetten, as India and the Netherlands explored deeper collaboration in water management and climate-resilient infrastructure. Modi had landed in The Hague on Friday on a two-day visit as part of a four-nation trip to Europe, aimed at ramping up bilateral ties on a range of key areas.

In Sweden, the next leg of his Europe tour, Modi will hold talks with his Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson to review bilateral relations and explore new avenues of cooperation to enhance bilateral trade, which reached USD 7.75 billion in 2025.

The two sides are set to focus on boosting bilateral ties in areas of green transition, AI, emerging technologies, startups, resilient supply chains, defence, space, climate action and people-to-people ties. Modi had earlier visited Sweden in 2018 for the first-ever India-Nordic Summit.

“The two prime ministers will also address the European Round Table for Industry, a leading pan-European business leaders forum, along with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.