Sweden, India agree to strengthen cooperation on defence

STOCKHOLM: India and Sweden will soon sign an agreement on sharing of classified information required for defence manufacturing and co-production in India, as the two sides look forward to open a new chapter in their defence partnership.

A bilateral pact on classified information sharing is on the cards, Swedish defence minister Carl Anders Peter Hultqvist told ET in an exclusive interaction ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meetings with Swedish leaders and defence majors.

Swedish defence major SAAB has shown interest in manufacturing Gripen aircraft in India under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.


“We want to develop defence partnership with India like we have done with Brazil through technology transfer and license. SAAB fighter jets are among the best in the world and offered at competitive rates,” said Hultqvist.

The minister said Sweden is also ready to offer submarines and missiles to India.

SAAB has partnered with the Adani Group for defence manufacturing, with the joint venture expected to bid for supplying fighter jets to the Indian Air Force. According to the request for information (RFI) floated by the defence ministry earlier this month, the IAF is looking to procure 82 single-seat fighter jets and 27-28 twin-seaters.

Hultqvist said Sweden had received the Indian government’s RFI, adding that the defence company will be proposing Gripen-E multirole fighter jets to the IAF. As per the RFI, 85% of the aircraft will have to be manufactured under the Make in India programme, for which the players will have to partner with an Indian company.

SAAB has offered transfer of technology and is ready to Make in India, the minister said, adding that the offer is a lot more than moving a second-hand production line to India. He said the plan is to bring state-of-the-art technology and production line along with capabilities, which will eventually lead to creation of jobs in India.