Published: 08:17 AM, 20 May 2026
Sweden confers highest Royal Honour upon Narendra Modi
Indian Premier Narendra Modi arrived in Sweden on Sunday and was received at Gothenburg Airport by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. In a special gesture, Swedish Air Force jets escorted the Indian Prime Minister's aircraft after it entered Swedish airspace. The visit marked Narendra Modi's second trip to Sweden after his 2018 visit for the first-ever India-Nordic Summit. Collected
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday received Sweden's Royal Order of Polar Star, Commander Grand Cross, the highest honour that can be conferred upon a head of government by the European nation. The award marked the 31st international honour received by Narendra Modi during his tenure and came during his two-day visit to Sweden, where India and Sweden also upgraded their bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership.
Narendra Modi arrived in Sweden on Sunday and was received at Gothenburg Airport by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. In a special gesture, Swedish Air Force jets escorted the Prime Minister's aircraft after it entered Swedish airspace. The visit marked Modi's second trip to Sweden after his 2018 visit for the first-ever India-Nordic Summit. Soon after arriving in Gothenburg, Modi interacted with members of the Indian diaspora. The Prime Minister was welcomed with cultural performances, including a rendition of the bhajan 'Vaishnava Jana To' by Swedish opera singer Charlotta Huldt and a Bharatanatyam performance by students of Lilla Akademien. During the reception event, Bengali culture was also showcased in the presence of Kristersson.
"Bengali culture is popular world over and Sweden is no exception," Modi said on social media. The two Prime Ministers later held delegation-level talks that focused on strengthening cooperation in trade, technology, defence, innovation and climate action.
During the discussions, the two sides reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral ties and explored new opportunities to expand cooperation. Bilateral trade between India and Sweden reached USD 7.75 billion in 2025, reflecting growing economic engagement between the two countries.
India and Sweden announced the elevation of their relationship to a strategic partnership with a focus on key sectors such as defence, artificial intelligence, green transition, startups, resilient supply chains, space, emerging technologies and people-to-people ties. The announcement came as Modi and Kristersson also participated in a European roundtable for industry alongside European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen.
