31st Global Honour For PM Modi As Sweden Confers Royal Order Of The Polar Star, Commander Grand Cross

Stockholm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred Sweden’s Royal Order of the Polar Star, Commander Grand Cross, on Sunday as he arrived in Sweden as part of his 5-nation tour. The award is regarded as Sweden’s highest honour for a foreign head of government, which also marked the 31st international honour bestowed upon the Indian Prime Minister.

Earlier, PM Modi arrived in Gothenburg to a warm welcome from Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who received him at the airport. The prime minister’s aircraft was escorted by Swedish Air Force Gripen fighter jets, equipped with advanced systems for combat advantage. Shortly after landing, PM Modi met members of the Indian diaspora, who greeted him with musical performances, including a bhajan rendered by a Swedish woman. “My friend, a very warm welcome to Sweden once again. Two democracies, one strong partnership,” Kristersson posted on X.

What Is The Significance Of Award Received By PM Modi

The Royal Order of the Polar Star, Commander Grand Cross, is Sweden’s utmost recognition for a head of government. Originally created in 1748, the order honours foreign leaders for civic merits, for devotion to duty, for science, literary, learned and useful works and for new and beneficial institutions. The conferment recognised Prime Minister Modi’s role in strengthening India-Sweden relations and his contribution to global engagement.

On the other hand, PM Modi, after his arrival, held talks with Kristersson covering trade, technology, defence and other key sectors. The two leaders reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral ties and explored new avenues to enhance cooperation, including green transition, artificial intelligence (AI), emerging technologies, startups, resilient supply chains, space, climate action and people-to-people links. Bilateral trade between India and Sweden reached USD 7.75 billion in 2025, according to the official figures.

In a post on X, PM Narendra Modi said, “The warmth and affection of the Indian community in Gothenburg were truly heartening. Their deep connection with India and their contribution to strengthening India-Sweden ties make us all very proud.”

The prime minister also met Maersk chairperson Robert Maersk Uggla to discuss investment opportunities in India. “We discussed the large scope of opportunities in India and deepening investments, especially in sectors like port infrastructure, logistics and more,” he wrote on X. 

The analysts suggested that the visit builds on a relationship grounded in shared values of democracy, rule of law and multilateralism, first formalised during PM Modi’s 2018 visit to Sweden for the inaugural India-Nordic Summit and the subsequent virtual summit with then Prime Minister Stefan Lofven in 2021.