Joint Statement on India-Sweden Virtual Summit
March 05, 2021
- Prime Minister of the Republic of India Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Sweden Stefan Löfven held wide ranging discussions during a Virtual Summit on 5th of March 2021.
- The two Prime Ministers:
i. Welcomed the creation of a Sweden-India Health Hub at AIIMS-Jodhpur.
ii. Agreed to continue their outreach to expand the membership of the Leadership Group on Industry Transition.
iii. Agreed that Indo-Swedish Joint Commission on Economic, Industrial and Scientific Cooperation will present proposals under the Joint Action Plan and Joint Innovation Partnership on further cooperation in innovation, health, and green recovery at its next meeting.
iv. Welcomed Sweden’s decision to join the International Solar Alliance.
v. Welcomed the launch of a second joint industrial R&D call on Smart and Sustainable Cities, Transport Systems, Clean Technologies and Digitalization and Internet of Things under India-Sweden Collaborative Industrial Research & Development Programme.
vi. Welcomed the India-Sweden Collaborative Industrial Research & Development Programme on Smart Grids.
vii. Welcomed the proposal of an MoU on Aviation Knowledge Exchange and Technical Transfer Programme.
viii. Welcomed the proposal of an MoU on cooperation between financial services to enhance cross-border participation and promote knowledge sharing.
- The meeting was the latest of several interactions between the two leaders since they both first took office in 2014. In addition to their meetings Sweden and India exchanged reciprocal State Visits in 2015 and 2019.
- The two Prime Ministers noted that these regular high-level interactions provide momentum to a close bilateral partnership.
- They underlined that the longstanding close relations between India and Sweden are based on shared values of democracy, rule of law, pluralism, equality, freedom of speech, and respect for human rights.
- The Summit provided an opportunity to discuss the international situation and response to the Covid-19 pandemic as well as regional and global issues of mutual importance including climate action, sustainable development, gender equality, economic growth, international peace and security, a rules-based international order, counter-terrorism and disaster resilient infrastructure, among others.
Sustainable Development and Climate Action through Innovation and Cleantech
- The two leaders noted that the major areas of focus of the partnership are Innovation, Clean Technologies, Trade and Investments including R&D to enable a more sustainable future for our peoples. Both countries are also cooperating in coordinating response to global challenges such as climate change, noting their support for the UK and Italy as co-hosts of a successful COP26.
- The two Prime Ministers welcomed the US re-entry into the Paris agreement which gives new momentum to global climate action ahead of COP26. They recognized the need for enhanced global cooperation towards full and effective implementation of the goals of the Paris Agreement.
International Solar Alliance
- Prime Minister Löfven announced Sweden’s decision to join the International Solar Alliance. Prime Minister Modi welcomed the decision and stated that Sweden’s expertise and experience in renewable energy and clean energy technologies will contribute significantly to the ISA and our collective efforts to meet the challenges related to climate change.
Leadership Group on Industry Transition (LeadIT)
- India and Sweden have a long tradition of cooperating on environmental issues. The Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the joint global initiative – the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT) launched by the Prime Ministers during the UNSG Climate Action Summit in September 2019. LeadIT currently has 29 member states and industries that work towards accelerating transition of all industry sectors to low carbon pathways in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement, while pursuing efforts to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The two Prime Ministers also invited the Group to develop a strategy for creating low carbon steel, cement, and concrete industries. They agreed that the Environment Ministers may explore how to strengthen the work in the group even further.
Science, Technology, and Innovation
- The Prime Ministers agreed to deepen the Indo-Swedish cooperation within the successful Joint Action Plan and Joint Innovation Partnership established by the two countries during the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Sweden in 2018.
- The Prime Ministers noted that "Innovation for a more sustainable future” is at the core of the India-Sweden partnership.
- Recalling the inaugural High-Level Innovation Dialogue during the 2019 State Visit, the Prime Ministers noted the wide range of R&D projects co-funded by Swedish and Indian agencies. They confirmed the ambition to scale up bilateral research and innovation on Circular Economy including the themes of Health and Life Sciences and Waste to Wealth during 2021. The Prime Ministers noted advances in hydrogen research and their possible applications, i.e. in the Energy and other key industries.
- They also recognized the work done by the Sweden-India Transport Innovation and Safety Partnership (SITIS), launched in February 2020 in Stockholm in presence of both Transport Ministers.
Trade and Investment
- The Prime Ministers agreed on the importance of trade and investment linkages. They noted that the high-level India Sweden Business Round Table (ISBLRT), Invest India, Swedish Chamber of Commerce and Business Sweden are making useful contributions in promoting these linkages.
- The two leaders also welcomed the steady increase in the presence of Swedish firms in India and Indian firms in Sweden. In this regard they welcomed the recent announcements by some major Swedish firms to make further investments in India, i.e. IKEA, H&M and Autoliv.
Healthcare and Life Sciences
- The Prime Ministers expressed their appreciation for the longstanding cooperation under the Memorandum of Understanding on Health, continued during the current pandemic. They agreed further to strengthen bilateral cooperation on thematic areas such as elderly care, infection control, digitalization, non-communicable diseases, and start-ups.
- The two Prime Ministers welcomed the creation of a Sweden-India Health Hub at AIIMS-Jodhpur. They agreed that their respective Health Ministers may explore how this vision can be realized.
Polar Research, Arctic Council and Space
- The Prime Ministers welcomed the progress made in identifying specific areas of scientific collaboration in polar research such as joint research projects and participation in polar expeditions. The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, India and the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat will take this collaboration forward. They agreed further to intensify their collaboration within the framework of the Arctic Council to address global environmental protection and combating climate change.
- The two leaders encouraged Indian and Swedish space actors to identify specific areas for future collaboration and seek mutually beneficial partnerships between both public and private sector organizations.
Defence and Security
- The two leaders noted that defence and security is an important area of longstanding collaboration between India and Sweden, with great scope for increased activities. There are a number of technologies, manufacturing and R&D partnerships between Swedish and Indian partners.
- The leaders also welcomed the finalization of the General Security Agreement in 2019 on the exchange and mutual protection of classified information, enabling a comprehensive partnership in all defence sectors.
- Prime Minister Modi invited Swedish defence firms to participate in the "Make in India programme”, especially in the two Defence Production Corridors in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.
Strategic and Security Dialogue
- The two Prime Ministers recognized the need to continue the strategic dialogue between the National Security Advisers and the National Security Council Secretariats for a deepened engagement on issues of mutual strategic interests, including cyber security.
Fight Against Coronavirus Pandemic
- The two leaders praised healthcare workers across the globe for their efforts to fight the pandemic. They stressed the need for a rapid, affordable, and equitable global distribution of vaccines. Prime Minister Modi conveyed that India has provided more than 48 million doses to more than 50 countries, including through COVAX. Prime Minister Löfven emphasized Sweden’s work with the Trade for Health initiative within the WTO framework and its generous contribution to COVAX.
India-EU/India-Nordic Partnerships
- The two leaders noted that India and the European Union are valued partners for each other. They welcomed the upcoming India-EU+27 Leaders’ Meeting in Portugal in May 2021 which will be a new milestone for India-EU Strategic Partnership. The two leaders looked forward to enhancing India-EU economic partnership through progress in discussions for concluding trade and investment agreements.
- Prime Minister Modi thanked Prime Minister Löfven for co-hosting the First ever India Nordic Summit in 2018 and looked forward to future opportunities to interact in this setting. The two leaders noted that India and the Nordic countries share similar principled approaches to many global challenges such as climate change, sustainable development, and reform of global governance.
Multilateral Cooperation
- Prime Minister Löfven congratulated India on its eighth term as an elected member of the UN Security Council for 2021-2022. The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed the importance of the urgent reform of the UN Security Council, including its expansion not only to sustain credibility of multilateralism but also to deliver on the several serious common challenges facing humanity. Prime Minister Modi thanked Prime Minister Löfven for Sweden’s support to India’s permanent membership of a reformed and expanded UN Security Council.
- The two Prime Ministers reiterated their strong commitment to multilateralism and peace and security. The two leaders acknowledged that there is a need for far greater transparency and accountability in the way many of the deliberations and decisions are made at the UN. They also reaffirmed the need for wider reform of global governance structures towards greater democracy, transparency, and fairness and to better reflect account contemporary realities.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Sweden on assuming the Chairmanship of the OSCE.
- The two Prime Ministers agreed to continue their discussions during the next India-Nordic Summit to be held later this year.
New Delhi
March 05, 2021
**