India is now ready to have strong cooperation with Sweden in the defense sector again. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh himself has invited Swedish companies to invest in India’s Defense Industrial Corridor.
In fact, on Tuesday, the Society of Indian Defense Manufacturers (SIDM) organized a webinar between India and Sweden on Defense Industry Corporation. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh himself was the chief guest in this webinar and Sweden’s Defense Minister Peter Haltquist was the guest of honour. Apart from this, senior officials of defense companies of India and Sweden including ambassadors of both the countries were also present.
Addressing the webinar, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said, “I take this opportunity to invite Swedish firms to invest in the Defense Industrial Corridors of Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. We can take advantage of the special incentives being provided by the state governments in these defense corridors and the availability of highly skilled workforce in India.
The scandal in the Bofors artillery deal bought from Sweden in the late 80s had not only had a long-term impact on India’s artillery, but also had an impact on defense cooperation with Sweden. But now India once again wants to cooperate with Sweden in the manufacture of weapons.
Sweden is also ready for this. Sweden’s fighter aircraft maker, Saab has offered to make Grippon fighter jet in India itself under Make in India. In February this year, the Chief of Air Staff of Sweden also participated in the Chiefs of Air Staff Conclave at the Air India Show in Bangalore. The Chief of the Indian Air Force himself visited Sweden in the year 2019.
Speaking in the webinar, Sweden’s Defense Minister Peter said that his country is trying all possible help for India in the time of Corona pandemic. In this difficult time, Sweden is also supplying corona vaccine to India along with financial help.