A delegation of Swedish small and medium enterprises is on a four-day visit to India, aiming to explore partnerships across various sectors, including renewable energy and pharmaceuticals, amidst a turbulent geopolitical landscape. Sweden is positioning the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as a central pillar in enhancing bilateral relations, with hopes to complete negotiations by the end of 2025.
“At this time, both India and Sweden need reliable partners,” stated Sven Östberg, Consul-General of Sweden, during a conference in Mumbai. He emphasized Sweden’s strong advocacy for free trade, claiming it to be the nation’s core philosophy. The two countries expect trade volume to potentially double upon the FTA’s implementation.
The Business Sweden delegation, led by Rupa Thakrar Bagoon, Market Manager under the Focus Asia programme, includes representatives from over 280 Swedish companies with strong investment in India, which collectively employ around 200,000 people directly and 2 million indirectly. Among these, around 105 firms are based in Western India, with 80 located in Maharashtra.
The delegation focuses on sectors from renewable energy to entertainment technology, targeting India’s infrastructure modernization goals. Lars Bertil Brandt of Seaflex AB identified significant opportunities in floating solar installations on India’s irrigation dams and drinking water reservoirs. “India has a fantastic vision to reach 500 gigawatts,” he noted, referencing successful proof-of-concept projects at various sites, including Kerala and the Vaitarna Dam complex near Mumbai.
In the realm of port infrastructure, Arun Jayakumar of APOCCA Automation presented plans to introduce sustainable automation technology to modernize India’s outdated port facilities, highlighting pollution reduction as a key area of improvement. “Traditionally in India, ports were established a long time ago, and the technologies are outdated,” he remarked.
In pharmaceuticals, Emil Byström from SpinChem AB reported rising interest from Indian firms in their rotating bed reactor technology, which promotes cleaner production processes. He revealed that four of India’s top seven pharmaceutical companies, including Sun Pharmaceutical, Aurobindo, Lupin, and Dr. Reddy’s, have become customers after the firm made considerable advancements over seven years.
Additionally, Moonlighting Industries is collaborating with Prime Focus Mumbai on the Ramayana project, utilizing eye-tracking technology to enhance film production. Johan Björklund from Björklunds Kafferosteri sees potential to elevate India’s coffee production from seventh to third place globally, advocating for a shift towards improved farming techniques and quality rather than focusing on volume.
This diverse portfolio illustrates Sweden’s strategy to capitalize on its clean technology expertise across multiple sectors aligned with India’s sustainability and modernization objectives.
Published on September 18, 2025.
