PM Modi addresses European industry leaders in Gothenburg, calls for deeper India-Europe economic partnership
Gothenburg, May 18. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 17 addressed senior European business leaders at a high-level interaction with the European Round Table for Industry in Gothenburg, urging closer India-Europe collaboration in trade, technology, manufacturing and resilient supply chains.
The session, hosted by Volvo Group, was attended by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and top executives from leading European and Indian firms.
In his keynote address, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the growing strategic convergence between India and Europe, stressing the need for trusted partnerships amid global uncertainty. He welcomed the momentum in India-EU ties, particularly the successful conclusion of negotiations for the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, describing it as a transformative step that would unlock opportunities across trade, technology, services, manufacturing and supply chains.
The Prime Minister also pointed to connectivity initiatives such as the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor as adding new depth to the India-Europe economic relationship by enhancing trade routes and business integration.
Emphasising India’s appeal as a leading investment destination, Modi outlined the country’s rapid economic growth, next-generation reforms, improved ease of doing business, expanding digital public infrastructure and a strengthening manufacturing and infrastructure base. Reiterating the vision of ‘Design for India, Make in India and Export from India’, he invited European companies to expand their footprint in India as a reliable and long-term economic partner.
He underscored the importance of building resilient and diversified supply chains through closer India-Europe cooperation. Highlighting India’s large-scale investments in transport, logistics, renewable energy, green hydrogen and nuclear power, the Prime Minister invited European industry to collaborate in areas including telecom and digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, electronics and deep-tech manufacturing, green transition and clean energy, mobility and urban transformation, and healthcare and life sciences.
Prime Minister Modi also stressed the value of talent mobility, education and skill partnerships, pointing to India’s young and skilled workforce as a key driver of future global growth. He called for stronger people-to-people connections and innovation-led partnerships between India and Europe.
As a way forward, the Prime Minister proposed holding an annual India-Europe CEOs Round Table and establishing a dedicated India Desk at the ERT. The interaction, he noted, offered an important platform to strengthen industrial and economic cooperation and reaffirmed the shared commitment of India and Europe to sustainable growth, technological collaboration and resilient global partnerships.
