India-Sweden Held 7th Foreign Office Consultations in Stockholm

India-Sweden held the 7th Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) on Friday in Stockholm, discussing a wide range of bilateral issues and global matters of mutual interest.

The meeting, held in Sweden’s capital, was led by Pavan Kapoor, Secretary (West) at the Ministry of External Affairs from the Indian side, and Jan Knutsson, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, representing their respective countries.

A statement shared by the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, highlighted the key aspects of the discussions. The co-chairs reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation, emphasizing the strong ties based on shared values, robust business, investment, and research and development (R&D) linkages, as well as a common approach towards addressing global challenges related to peace, security, and development.

India and Sweden’s diplomatic relations have a longstanding history, marking 75 years since their establishment in 1948. Over the years, these relations have evolved and strengthened, as evidenced by the consistent high-level engagements between the two nations.

In 2023, several significant visits took place, including four ministerial visits from Sweden covering areas such as Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Infrastructure, and Finance. India’s External Affairs Minister also visited Sweden in May 2023, further enhancing bilateral ties.

The ongoing ministerial interactions between India-Sweden, totaling around 13 from November 2022 to October 2023, underscore the commitment of both countries to deepen cooperation across various sectors for mutual benefit and shared goals.

The 7th FOC serves as a platform to reinforce the strategic partnership between India and Sweden, fostering collaboration on diverse issues of regional and global significance while strengthening people-to-people ties and economic cooperation.