Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a six-day multi-nation visit to the United Arab Emirates, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy from 15-20 May, with a focus on strengthening India’s trade, investment, energy, technology and strategic partnerships with Europe and the Gulf region.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Prime Minister’s visit will aim to deepen India’s engagement across sectors, including defence, clean energy, semiconductors, AI, innovation, resilient supply chains and green transition, while also leveraging momentum generated by the recently concluded India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
The first leg of the visit will take Prime Minister Modi to the UAE on 15 May, where he will hold talks with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Discussions are expected to focus on energy cooperation, trade and investment, regional developments and the welfare of the over 4.5 million-strong Indian diaspora in the Gulf nation.
The MEA said that the UAE is India’s third-largest trade partner and seventh-largest source of cumulative investment over the past 25 years.
In the second leg, Modi will travel to the Netherlands from 15-17 May at the invitation of Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten. During the visit, Modi will meet King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, apart from holding bilateral talks with Jetten.
The two countries are expected to expand cooperation in defence, security, semiconductors, innovation, green hydrogen and water management. Bilateral trade between India and the Netherlands stood at USD 27.8 billion in 2024-25, while Dutch cumulative FDI in India reached USD 55.6 billion, making the Netherlands India’s fourth-largest investor.
Prime Minister Modi will then visit Gothenburg in Sweden on 17-18 May for talks with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. The discussions will cover trade, AI, startups, defence, climate action, space cooperation and emerging technologies.
Both leaders will also jointly address the European Round Table for Industry alongside Ursula von der Leyen. India-Sweden bilateral trade reached USD 7.75 billion in 2025, while Swedish FDI into India stood at USD 2.825 billion between 2000 and 2025.
In the fourth leg, Modi will undertake his first-ever visit to Norway from 18-19 May, marking the first Prime Ministerial visit from India to the Nordic nation in 43 years. Modi will meet Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre as well as King Harald V and Queen Sonja.
The visit will also feature the 3rd India-Nordic Summit in Oslo on 19 May, bringing together leaders from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland. The summit is expected to focus on technology, renewable energy, sustainability, Arctic cooperation, blue economy, defence and space collaboration.
India’s trade with Nordic countries stood at USD 19 billion in 2024, while Norway’s Government Pension Fund has invested close to USD 28 billion in Indian capital markets.
In the final leg of the tour, Prime Minister Modi will visit Italy from 19 to 20 May at the invitation of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Modi is also scheduled to meet Italian President Sergio Mattarella.
The visit comes amid growing India-Italy strategic cooperation under the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029. Bilateral trade between the two countries reached USD 16.77 billion in 2025, while cumulative Italian FDI in India stood at USD 3.66 billion between April 2000 and September 2025.
The MEA said the multi-country visit would further strengthen India’s partnerships with Europe and the Gulf region, particularly in the areas of trade, investment, clean energy, defence and technology cooperation. |
