Chandigarh, Oct 15 Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Thursday held a meeting with Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, Benjamin Dousa.
The two leaders discussed ways to further strengthen India-Sweden bilateral relations and explore new avenues of cooperation with Haryana.
Haryana’s Urban Local Bodies Minister Vipul Goel was also present. A high-level delegation led by Nayab Singh Saini reached Sweden on Wednesday on a four-day visit.
The delegation will be in Sweden from October 14 to 17. The key objectives of this visit are to attract foreign investment to Haryana, strengthen global industrial partnerships, and enhance cooperation in technology and sustainable development.
Saini said Haryana aims to build on the engagements with Sweden undertaken by Union Minister Piyush Goyal under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
He said India and Sweden elevated their relations to a strategic partnership in May 2025, with both countries targeting a doubling of bilateral trade and investment over the next five years.
He emphasised the need to expand cooperation in education, skill development and energy.
Highlighting Haryana’s 18 dry ports, the Chief Minister said they would also explore opportunities for collaboration with Sweden in this sector.
Swedish Minister Benjamin Dousa welcomed the Chief Minister and agreed to pursue future initiatives in collaboration with Haryana. During his visit, Saini attended India-Sweden Innovation Day 2026 in Sweden, an official statement said here.
Addressing the gathering, Saini said that the event was an important opportunity to advance the shared commitment to innovation for a competitive future under the India-Sweden 2035 vision.
He also expressed his gratitude for making Haryana a State Partner in this year’s programme.
The Chief Minister stated that in May 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi elevated India’s relations with Sweden to the level of a strategic partnership.
This step is set to take cooperation between the two countries to new heights, he said.
Referring to trade figures, he said India-Sweden trade rose from USD 2.86 billion in 2016 to USD 7.75 billion in 2025, reflecting the growing strength of bilateral relations.
Highlighting investments by Swedish companies in Haryana, the Chief Minister said IKEA’s integrated project in Gurugram, worth Rs 3,500 crore, clearly reflected the company’s confidence in Haryana.
The manufacturing unit of Swedish-Swiss group ABB in Faridabad, operational since 1951, has become a major production centre for modern electric motors. In addition, he said the first Indian school of the Swedish educational institution Kunskapsskolan opened in Gurugram in 2013.
He invited all the dignitaries present at the event to the ‘Happening Haryana Global Investors Summit 2027’, to be held in Haryana.
Saini held one-on-one meetings with several prominent investors and experts on the second day of his visit to Sweden. The discussions focused on urban development, improving citizens’ quality of life, and further strengthening public services.
Meanwhile, Saini explored the feasibility of adopting an approach inspired by Sweden’s ‘SymbioCity’ model, aligned with Haryana’s urban development priorities. The discussions emphasised integrated, sustainable, and citizen-centric urban development.
The meetings also covered a wide range of issues related to communications, public affairs and policy advocacy.
Saini met with several investors in environmental technology and sustainable urban development to explore cooperation opportunities in these sectors.
During the interactions, Saini gained detailed insights into Swedish systems and technologies for reusing treated water and wastewater for industrial and other purposes.
The discussions also focused on modern waste disposal methods, the productive utilisation of organic waste and recycling practices.
The discussions also explored opportunities to introduce Sweden’s advanced technologies and technical expertise in these areas in Haryana.
Saini invited Swedish investors and experts to collaborate with the Haryana Police Cyber Unit to address the growing challenge of fraudulent mobile calls. He said international cooperation in cybersecurity and public safety would benefit the state.
Saini said that Sweden’s advanced technologies, sustainable development models and citizen-centric approach could play a significant role in achieving Haryana’s urban development and environmental objectives.
He also invited Swedish investors to explore investment opportunities in Haryana and strengthen technological partnerships with the state.
(PTI News)
