Stockholm, June 12 (IANS) Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal held a series of meetings with senior members of the Swedish government and industry leaders on the first day of his official visit to Sweden, aimed at enhancing trade and investment flows and exploring new avenues of cooperation between the top countries.

Goyal held discussions with Benjamin Dousa, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, and Hakan Jevrell, State Secretary for Foreign Trade, on expanding the scope of India–Sweden trade and investment partnership, facilitating sustainable industrial collaboration, and identifying key areas for technology and innovation-driven growth.

The 21st session of the India–Sweden Joint Commission for Economic, Industrial and Scientific Cooperation was also held on the first day of the two-day visit. The agenda included strategic cooperation in innovation and research, and a roundtable discussion on strengthening the India–Sweden economic partnership.

The meeting witnessed participation from key Swedish institutions, including LeadIT, Vinnova, the Swedish Energy Agency, the Swedish National Space Agency, the National Board of Trade, the Swedish Export Credit Agency, Business Sweden, and the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in India. Both sides underscored their shared commitment to advancing joint projects in green transition, advanced technologies, and resilient supply chains.

Goyal also addressed the India–Sweden business leaders’ roundtable, where he interacted with key members of Swedish industry. He invited companies to enhance their footprint in India by taking advantage of the country’s enabling regulatory environment, growing consumer base, skilled talent pool, and well-developed industrial infrastructure. The roundtable served as a platform for strengthening private-sector collaboration in clean energy, smart manufacturing, mobility, life sciences, and digital technologies.

The Minister participated in the India–Sweden High-Level Trade and Investment Policy Forum at the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise. The Forum brought together business leaders and policy-makers from both sides to discuss the evolving trade architecture and opportunities under the proposed India–EU Free Trade Agreement. Presentations were made by CII and the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise. CEOs from leading companies shared their views on enhancing value-chain partnerships, technology transfers, and investment facilitation.

A number of one-on-one meetings were also held with Swedish companies from sectors such as automation, renewable energy, sustainable food systems, maritime technology, and advanced materials. Several companies conveyed strong confidence in the Indian economy and expressed intent to scale their presence through new investments, capacity expansion, and deeper localisation. Areas of support discussed included facilitation in land access, skilling partnerships, and fast-track clearances.

–IANS

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