PM Modi Conferred Sweden’s Highest Civilian Honour During Gothenburg Visit

Gothenburg, May 2026 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Sunday conferred the prestigious ‘Royal Order of Polar Star’ Commander Grand Cross by Sweden during his official visit to the Nordic nation.

The award, regarded as one of Sweden’s highest honours bestowed upon foreign heads of government, was presented to PM Modi by Crown Princess Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden at a special ceremony held at the County Governor’s residence in Gothenburg. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson was also present during the ceremony.

With this recognition, PM Modi has now received 31 international honours from countries across the world during his tenure as Prime Minister.

According to the Swedish Prime Minister’s Office, the decision to confer the ‘Royal Order of the Polar Star’ Commander Grand Cross on PM Modi was taken by Carl XVI Gustaf.

Instituted in 1748, the Order of the Polar Star is awarded to individuals for exceptional personal contributions toward Sweden or Swedish interests. The award is considered a symbol of friendship and international cooperation.

The honour came during PM Modi’s visit to Sweden as part of his ongoing five-nation diplomatic tour. He arrived in Gothenburg earlier in the day after concluding his visit to the Netherlands.

In a special gesture, Swedish Gripen fighter jets escorted the Indian Prime Minister’s aircraft as it entered Swedish airspace. PM Modi was personally received at the airport by Prime Minister Kristersson.

During the visit, the two leaders are expected to hold extensive discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in areas including trade, investment, innovation, technology, green transition, defence, and sustainable development.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that both sides would review the entire spectrum of India-Sweden relations and explore fresh avenues for expanding economic and strategic engagement.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said PM Modi and Prime Minister Kristersson also exchanged special gifts commemorating Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore and highlighting the enduring cultural and intellectual ties between India and Sweden.

A key highlight of the visit will be the participation of PM Modi and PM Kristersson at the European Round Table for Industry, a leading platform of major European business leaders.

The event will also be attended by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, with discussions expected to focus on strengthening India-Europe business and investment partnerships.

This marks PM Modi’s second visit to Sweden after his landmark 2018 visit for the first-ever India-Nordic Summit, which had laid the foundation for stronger engagement between India and the Nordic region.

The Sweden leg of the tour follows PM Modi’s official two-day visit to the Netherlands, where he held bilateral discussions with Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten on trade, technology, water management, and strategic cooperation.