Sweden's Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch Engages at India-AI Impact Summit 2026
Sweden's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Business and Industry, Ebba Busch, has arrived in New Delhi to participate in the high-profile India-AI Impact Summit 2026. Her visit underscores India's emerging role as a central hub for global artificial intelligence discussions and marks a significant moment in the strengthening bilateral relationship between India and Sweden.
High-Level Participation at the Global AI Summit
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 is currently underway at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, running from February 16 to February 20. This landmark event is recognized as the first global AI summit hosted in the Global South, attracting participation from over 110 countries and 30 international organizations. The summit features around 20 heads of state or government and approximately 45 ministers, highlighting its international significance.
The summit is structured around three foundational pillars: People, Planet, and Progress. These pillars aim to promote human-centric AI that protects rights and ensures equitable benefits, environmentally sustainable AI advancement, and inclusive economic and technological growth. This framework aligns with India's national vision of Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya (welfare for all, happiness for all) and the broader principle of AI for Humanity.
Upon her arrival, India's Ministry of External Affairs extended a warm welcome to Deputy Prime Minister Busch via a social media post, emphasizing the broad spectrum of India-Sweden cooperation. The post highlighted areas such as trade, economy, science, innovation, climate action, and education.
Busch Praises India's Leadership in AI and Innovation
In an exclusive interview with NDTV on the sidelines of the summit, Ebba Busch commended India's pivotal role in the global AI conversation. She stated, "It's not a coincidence that India is now chairing and hosting this global AI summit for the first time in the Global South," attributing this achievement to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and his focus on technology that serves humanity.
Busch described her participation as a "given," underscoring India's growing influence in shaping global AI discourse. She highlighted Sweden's own innovation credentials, noting that Sweden consistently ranks among the top three in global innovation rankings. "We are a knowledge-hungry people, always looking to partner with others who want to solve complex problems. India is definitely such a partner," she added.
Deepening Bilateral Ties: Telecom, Trade, and the FTA
During her visit, Deputy Prime Minister Busch held a bilateral meeting with Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. Minister Scindia later expressed optimism about building a strong, future-ready digital and telecom partnership between India and Sweden.
Innovation, science, and technology already serve as key anchors in India-Sweden relations. The two countries have signed multiple bilateral cooperation agreements in recent years, covering innovation, research, and energy. Extensive trade flows exist between them, with nearly 300 Swedish companies established in India.
Busch's visit follows closely on the heels of a historic milestone: the conclusion of a free trade agreement between India and the European Union in January 2026, after nearly two decades of negotiations. This agreement is set to reduce customs duties on EU exports by more than 90%, with projections indicating that exports could double by 2030. It also opens expanded opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Describing the FTA as a turning point, Busch told NDTV, "We were celebrating finally," calling it a "truly big day" for Europe. She emphasized that the agreement extends beyond mere trade, representing a strategic alignment between the world's fourth-largest economy and second-largest market. "This free trade agreement is more than just trade. It's about building value-based relations that can last for generations," she stated, noting that in a time of geopolitical turbulence, Europe is carefully choosing its partners, with Sweden "definitely choosing India for a reason."
Future Prospects and Economic Collaboration
In her concluding remarks, Busch extended a message to Indian businesses and innovators, declaring that Sweden is "open for business." She highlighted that the approximately 300 Swedish companies operating in India indirectly support nearly 2.5 million jobs. "We'd like to do more, and we'd also like to see more investments in Sweden, especially in industry and healthcare when it comes to innovation and AI," she said.
Linking the FTA to long-term ambitions, Busch added, "It's about building for the next generations, for my two children back home in Sweden." Her visit and statements reinforce the deepening synergy between India and Sweden across multiple sectors, positioning both nations for collaborative growth in the era of artificial intelligence and global economic integration.
