Gothenburg [Sweden], May 17 : Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Sweden as part of his five-nation tour, senior Swedish industry leaders and business representatives on Saturday highlighted the growing India-Sweden partnership and expressed confidence in India's economic growth and talent ecosystem.
Speaking to ANI, Jens Holtinger, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Volvo Group, described Prime Minister Modi's visit to Gothenburg as a "great honour" and said it reflected the strong ties between India and Sweden. Highlighting Volvo Group's presence in India, he said the company has been operating in the country for 25 years and currently employs nearly 5,000 people there.
"Prime Minister Modi's visit to Gothenburg, Sweden, is a great honour and it's an opportunity to also showcase the good connection between Sweden and India. The Volvo Group have been in India for 25 years...We have close to 5,000 colleagues in India...It is the second biggest R&D centre that we have in the world...We see India as a very good platform for the future. We truly believe that India is a thriving economy with a lot of talent," said the Volvo CTO.
Meanwhile, Kamal Bali, President and Managing Director of Volvo Group India, termed the visit a significant milestone in India-Sweden relations. He further said Swedish businesses remain optimistic about India's economic growth, domestic demand and skilled workforce, particularly in digital technologies and manufacturing sectors.
"This is a very significant and a big milestone in the relationship between India and Sweden. India and Sweden enjoy a very good relationship, which is based on the democratic and shared values between the two countries of transparency, trust and understanding," Bali told ANI.
He further said Swedish businesses remain optimistic about India's economic growth, domestic demand and skilled workforce, particularly in digital technologies and manufacturing sectors. Bali added that Prime Minister Modi's visit would open up further opportunities for businesses in both countries and strengthen bilateral economic engagement.
"The businesses are very confident about the development of the Indian economy and the domestic demand, as well as the capabilities of the Indian talent, which are there both in the digital space and in manufacturing, which is what the Swedish companies would like to leverage. It's going to be the opening of further opportunities for business on both sides between India and Sweden and it works well for the two countries," he added.
Head of Digital Business at CONSAT Engineering, Vinay Dhar expressed how industry collaboration has enabled the growth of industries and brought in new technology in the country.
"CONSAT and India have been working for three years, and we're bringing this technology into India. It's very important for a growing nation like India, which is growing at such a pace that India thinks about automation, making industries smart. That's what this collaboration is all about: bringing those technologies into India, which is good for society, industry and good for driving the economic growth of India," he said.
Chief Executive Officer of Business Region Goteborg, Patrik Andersson, also highlighted the growing Indian presence in Gothenburg. He noted that since 2015, a growing number of Indians have been moving to Gothenburg for work, higher education and research opportunities.
"For the last 10 years we didn't really have any India companies, but it started when HCL bought part of Volvo IT and now we have 20 establishments...From 2015, a lot of Indians have been coming here to work, to study and to go to the universities to research...It is fantastic that India has put their eyes on Sweden," he said.
Meanwhile, Sheeba Alakkal, a Business Developer at International House Gothenburg, said the organisation assists international professionals, including Indians, in adapting to life in Gothenburg and integrating into Swedish society.
"We help international professionals who have moved to Gothenburg find their way in this new city and integrate into the Swedish society so they can come to us, visit us, and ask questions about what they want to know about life in Gothenburg," she told ANI.
PM Narendra Modi will fly to Sweden from the Netherlands on Sunday, which will be the third leg of his five-nation tour.
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