PRESIDENT OF INDIA HOSTS KING AND QUEEN OF SWEDEN, SAYS BOTH COUNTRIES CAN WORK TOGETHER ON PROGRAMMES SUCH AS JAL JEEVAN MISSION, CLEAN INDIA AND SMART CITIES

Rashtrapati Bhavan : 02.12.2019

The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind received His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf and Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden at Rashtrapati Bhavan today (December 2, 2019). He also hosted a banquet in their honour.

Welcoming them to India, the President was happy to note that India-Sweden bilateral trade and investment relations are gaining strength. He said that India sees Sweden as a key partner in its Make in India, Start-up India, Clean India, Digital India and Smart City programmes. Swedish companies have made significant investment in India. There is potential for them to do a lot more, especially in clean technologies, circular economy, water partnership and next generation infrastructure. India’s growth and potential in the defence sector also presents significant opportunities for Swedish companies to manufacture in India for the domestic market and for exports. Health sector is another area of close cooperation. An impressive number of Indian companies have invested in Sweden especially in the areas of IT and technology solutions. He said that our economies complement each other and India-Sweden can work together to deepen their business and technology collaboration further.

The President said that our global partnership is as encouraging as our bilateral relationship. Both India and Sweden are committed to tackling climate change. Our co-leadership in the Industry Transition Track would be very helpful to the cause. He invited Sweden to join the International Solar Alliance. The President said that India is keen to engage with Sweden in the Arctic region.

Three agreements in the fields of polar research, science and technology and sea-faring were exchanged in the presence of the President and the Swedish King.

The winners of Children’s Climate Prize 2019 – Shri Vihaan and Shri Nav Agarwal also called on the President and the King of Sweden. Children’s Climate Prize was launched by Swedish electricity company Telge Energi in 2016 to highlight the issue of climate change. This prize is given to children or youth, aged 12-17, who have made extraordinary efforts for the climate and the environment.

Subsequently, in his banquet speech, President Kovind said that our innovation partnership holds tremendous potential. Our skills and our commitment can make us leaders of the 4th Industrial Revolution. We must, however, look beyond. The world of machine-intelligence must be accompanied by equity, for meeting basic needs of people, to protect our natural resources and to preserve our planet. India wants to engage with Sweden on circular economy, resource efficiency and climate-smart models. The President said that from Namami Gange to Jal Jeevan Mission and from Clean India to Smart Cities, India’s socio-economic programmes open several opportunities for both countries to work together.