PM Modi Sweden Visit: In the high-profile meeting of ERT (European Round Table for Industry) held in Gothenburg, Sweden, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to big companies of Europe to increase investment in India. PM Modi presented a big vision of partnership in many sectors in front of the CEOs of big companies like Vodafone, Nokia, Airbus, Shell and SAP.
PM Modi Sweden Gothenburg Meeting: History was created on the evening of 17 May 2026 in Gothenburg, known as the industrial heart of Sweden. In front of Europe’s most powerful and rich business community, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made a move which has created a stir in the markets from China to America. In this high-profile meeting of the European Round Table for Industry (ERT), PM Modi gave a ‘call to action’ to the Chief Executives (CEOs) and chairpersons of Europe’s largest companies and said, ‘Invest in India and do it now.’ Let us know what happened in this meeting and how much benefit India is going to get from this…
Why was this meeting of PM Modi in Sweden special?
Top executives of big companies of Europe were present in this roundtable organized in Sweden’s industrial city Gothenburg on Sunday evening. This meeting is also historic because it was jointly hosted by Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. This is considered to be the biggest diplomatic-business meeting between India and Europe in recent years.
Who was present in this high-profile meeting?
In this high-profile meeting in Gothenburg, the top corporate companies of Europe, which control the entire global market, were present. 55 largest global companies (Global Brands) from 5 different sectors of Europe were present on the dining table in front of PM Modi.
Veterans of telecom and digital sectors
Superpowers like Vodafone, Ericsson, Nokia and Orange, which provide connectivity to the world, were part of this meeting, which are eyeing the digital future of India.
Tech and Semiconductor King
Along with ASML and NXP, which are said to be the backbone of the world’s semiconductor (chip) market, well-known tech companies SAP and Capgemini were also present in the room, which are most important in making India a global tech hub.
Master of Energy and Clean Tech (Green Energy)
Leading global companies in the net-zero and sustainable energy sector, ENGIE, TotalEnergies, Shell and Umicore also participated in this diplomatic discussion.
Infrastructure, Mobility and Defense
Companies that rule the world in heavy vehicles, aircraft and steel manufacturing like Volvo Group, Maersk, Airbus, Saab and ArcelorMittal were listening directly to PM Modi’s vision.
Healthcare, Life Sciences and Consumer Goods
Top executives from AstraZeneca, Roche, Merck, Philips, Nestlé and Unilever, the world’s most trusted brands of medical and everyday needs, were also part of this historic meeting.
‘Mother of all deals’ and PM Modi’s 5-sector formula
The recently concluded India-EU FTA is being called the ‘Mother of All Deals’ in the business world. Keeping this in mind, PM Modi presented a roadmap of the 5 biggest sectors in front of European companies and appealed to every company to give a big and new commitment to India in the next 5 years.
Which 5 sectors did PM Modi emphasize the most?
Telecom and Digital Infrastructure: Emphasis was laid on making India a global hub through 5G to 6G transition, AI network and digital connectivity.
AI and Semiconductor Manufacturing: To make India an end-to-end global tech hub, where companies like ASML and NXP will play an important role.
Green Energy and EV: An appeal was made to invest in sectors like hydrogen, electric vehicles, energy storage and decarbonization.
Infrastructure and Mobility: Big projects in aerospace, logistics, green steel and defense sectors were discussed.
Healthcare and Life Sciences: There was talk of increasing cooperation on advanced vaccines, cancer care, digital health and medical devices.
What big proposal did PM Modi put forward to the companies?
Prime Minister Modi not only appealed for investment, but also made many concrete proposals to give confidence to the companies. These include proposals like organizing India-Europe CEO Roundtable every year, forming sector-specific working groups, creating ERT India Desk, government monitoring of big projects and ensuring timely delivery. PM Modi asked, ‘Can every company present here make a new and big commitment for India? Identify the flagship projects to be started in the next five years, the Government of India will stand with you at every step.
Why is India-EU Free Trade Deal a gamechanger?
The timing of this meeting is also considered very important. Recently, major progress has been made regarding India-EU FTA (India-EU Free Trade Agreement). Many experts are even calling it the ‘Mother of All Deals’. Apart from this, big agreements like Security & Defense Partnership, Mobility Agreement, Trade and Technology Council are also progressing rapidly between India and Europe.
Why is India becoming the biggest opportunity for world companies?
Global companies are now looking for a reliable partner as an alternative to China and India fits perfectly into this slot. PM Modi presented strong figures of this fastest growing big economy of the world and enumerated the forces which are attracting the world’s companies. It is the fastest growing major economy in the world, he said. Huge population of 1.4 billion, world’s third largest startup ecosystem, major changes like GST, PLI scheme, corporate tax cut and FDI reforms have taken place. This means that India is no longer just a consumer market but is rapidly moving towards becoming a major center of global supply chain and manufacturing.
What is ERT?
European Round Table for Industry is considered one of the most influential business organizations in Europe. This includes chairmen and CEOs of about 55 big multinational companies. The organization has a major influence on Europe’s economic policies and industrial strategy and works directly with the EU institutions.
How big can the benefit be for India?
If after this meeting European companies decide to make big investments in India, then its impact can be seen in sectors like AI, semiconductor, EV, defense and green energy. This can also give a big boost to employment, technology transfer and manufacturing in India.