The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee attended a round table discussion with business leaders and entrepreneurs of India and Sweden. Later he also addressed a Business Seminar on the topic ‘India-Sweden Partnership -Co-creating a brighter future'.

The Swedish CEOs who attended included Jacob Wallenberg, Chairman Investor; Hans Vestberg, President and CEO Ericsson; Håkan Buskhe, President and CEO SAAB; Olof Faxander, President and CEO Sandvik; Anders Grundströmer, Senior VP Scania/MD of Scania India; Carl-Henric Svanberg, Chairman Volvo Group and Göran Westerberg, CEO Rusta.

The Swedish CEOs said they are planning to increase their investments and employ more people in India. They warmly welcomed the Government's ‘Make in India' Initiative as well as other reform measures underway while they also drew attention to the challenges in doing business in India.

Speaking on the occasion, the President assured the CEOs that the Government of India is responsive to industry and investors. It is creating an appropriate atmosphere in the country to promote investment and manufacturing. A constant dialogue between investors and officials will help at the arrival of solutions to specific problems.

Addressing the Business Seminar later, the President said India-Sweden business relations date back to the early 20th century when Ericsson brought manual switches and telephone systems to India. Swedish Match established its facility (WIMCO) in India in 1926. Since then, many other Swedish companies have established operations in India.

There are 170 Swedish joint ventures and wholly owned subsidiaries in India. Investments have also begun to flow from India to Sweden with around 50 Indian companies present in Sweden.

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