New Delhi, April 12 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have a packed schedule when he visits Sweden and Britain from April 16 to 21 during which he will attend the first India-Nordic Summit and this year's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), officials said on Thursday.
After reaching Stockholm on the evening of April 16, Modi will first hold a bilateral summit with his Swedish counterpart the next day following which a number of agreements are expected to be signed.
Addressing the media here, Subrata Bhattacharjee, Joint Secretary (Central Europe) in the Ministry of External Affairs, said Modi will also have an audience with Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf.
This apart, Modi and Lofven will attend a round table of Swedish CEOs.
"Around (Dollar) 1.4 billion have been invested in India by over 170 Swedish companies since 2000," Bhattacharjee said.
With Sweden home to a 20,000-strong Indian diaspora, Modi will also interact with members of the Indian community.
Also on April 17, India and Sweden will co-host the first ever India-Nordic Summit in Stockholm which will be attended by the Prime Ministers of the other four Nordic countries -- Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway.
Modi will also hold bilateral meetings with the Prime Ministers of the other four Nordic countries.
"Nordic countries are a good source of clean technologies," Bhattacharjee said.
The Indian leader will leave Stockholm for London on April 17 evening.
On April 18, Modi will hold a bilateral summit with British Prime Minister Theresa May after which several agreements are expected to be signed.
"We are looking at 10 to 12 deliverables and a joint statement," said K.
Nagaraj Naidu, Joint Secretary (Europe West) in the Ministry of External Affairs.
Stating that the theme of the visit to Britain was "Living bridge and tech partnership", Naidu said that an India-UK Tech Alliance was likely to be announced.
Modi will also have a meeting with Prince Charles.
A visit to the Francis Crick Institute was on the schedule where the Prime Minister is expected to meet Indian scientists among others.
With economic ties being an important pillar of the India-Britain bilateral relationship, Modi and May will attend a CEOs Forum.
"We are the fourth largest investor and the second largest job creator in the UK," Naidu said.
After ending the bilateral leg of his visit, Modi will attend this year's CHOGM on April 19-20.
While April 19 is the day of the main session of the 53-nation event, the Prime Minister will participate in a leaders' retreat on April 20, which will be an informal affair, according to Rudendra Tandon, Joint Secretary (United Nations Political) in the External Affairs Ministry.
"Over the years, the Commonwealth has occupied a niche position in the development space in the world," Tandon said.
The Prime Minister will return to India on April 21.
--IANS
ab/mr.
Source: IANS
