SIBC CEO Robin Sukhija on India-Sweden Ties and Trade Outlook
Bengaluru, October 22: Robin Sukhija, Secretary General and CEO of the Sweden-India Business Council (SIBC), said on Thursday that India and Sweden are well placed to deepen collaboration in several high-potential sectors. He pointed to defence manufacturing, green technology, innovation and advanced manufacturing as key areas.
Sukhija said the bilateral relationship, both economic and strategic, is becoming stronger with each passing year. In his view, the coming years could take the partnership to an entirely new level.
Discussing defence, he said Indian companies are now actively reaching out to Swedish and European markets to better understand their needs and structures. He noted that defence procurement is rising quickly among NATO countries. Within India, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are emerging as new investment and production centres through their defence industrial corridors.
He emphasised that building a strong industrial ecosystem is the most critical task, and said India is making steady progress on this count.
On green energy and climate targets, Sukhija highlighted India's notable achievements in solar power. He referred to the International Solar Alliance, an initiative championed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the forum has given clean energy cooperation a fresh direction worldwide. Sweden is part of the alliance as well.
He pointed out that numerous programmes between Swedish and Indian industries are already in progress. These cover energy efficiency, green technology, carbon reduction and sustainable industrial growth. Addressing climate change and accelerating the clean energy transition, he added, are areas where both countries can contribute meaningfully.
On the evolving global geopolitical order, he said both nations hold democratic values and a rules-based system in high regard. While their positions may diverge on particular matters, their overall outlook is quite similar.
Sukhija argued that India's role in global bodies must grow, and that support for India's permanent membership of the UN Security Council would be a significant move. He said the two countries have broad opportunities to collaborate across different regions.
When asked about making India a global manufacturing hub, he said that thousands of regulations and procedures have been simplified in recent years, a welcome development. However, he felt the real challenge is in executing policies and meeting approval deadlines.
"For industry, the most important thing is time certainty," he said. "If a project needs one year for clearance, investors can plan around that. But when there is no clear timeline for approvals, investment decisions get hit."
He concluded that reforms in India must go hand in hand with processes that are more predictable and time-bound.
Sukhija also highlighted the risks in today's just-in-time supply chains. If machinery, components or other goods are not cleared through customs on schedule, production and supply can suffer.
He identified innovation as one of the most important avenues for cooperation. "Sweden is among the most innovative countries in the world, and India has a large base of talent and skilled human resources," he said.
Looking ahead, he said innovation will be the largest source of job creation. Combining Sweden's technological expertise with India's talent could produce new products, services and companies, resulting in substantial employment gains.
Turning to the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement, Sukhija said it could become a platform connecting about a quarter of the world's economy and nearly two billion people. He called it a game changer and said it would provide a firm base for stability, confidence and trade amid current uncertainties.
He expects that once the agreement is in force, many European firms will seek new opportunities in India, while Indian companies will get better access to the vast European market. The result, he said, would be a major boost to trade, investment and job creation.