From The Hague to Rome: PM Modi’s Europe Tour Puts India–EU Equation in Sharper Focus

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy between 15 and 20 May 2026 for a series of bilateral engagements and the 3rd India–Nordic Summit, in a visit the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) says will further deepen India’s partnership with Europe, particularly on trade and investment in the context of the recently concluded India–EU FTA.

India–Netherlands ties in focus as PM Modi’s Europe visit gathers momentum.

Momentum with the Netherlands

At the invitation of Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, Mr Modi will pay an official visit to the Netherlands from 15–17 May, his second visit to the country after 2017.

During this leg, he will call on King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima and hold talks with Prime Minister Jetten, building on high-level engagement in areas such as defence, security, innovation, green hydrogen, semiconductors and the Strategic Partnership on Water.

The MEA notes that the Netherlands is one of India’s largest trade destinations in Europe, with bilateral trade worth USD 27.8 billion in 2024–25 and cumulative foreign direct investment (FDI) of USD 55.6 billion, making it India’s fourth largest investor.

Sweden stop to spotlight Nordic co‑operation

For the third leg, the Prime Minister will travel to Gothenburg, Sweden, on 17–18 May at the invitation of Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. This follows Mr Modi’s earlier visit to Sweden in 2018 for the first India–Nordic Summit and will see the two leaders review the full range of bilateral ties, including trade, which the MEA states have reached USD 7.75 billion in 2025, and Swedish FDI into India of USD 2.825 billion between 2000 and 2025. Discussions are expected to span collaboration in green transition, artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, start‑ups, resilient supply chains, defence, space, climate action and people‑to‑people links, with the two Prime Ministers also addressing the European Round Table for Industry alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Norway leg and 3rd India–Nordic Summit

Mr Modi will then undertake an official visit to Norway from 18–19 May, marking his first visit to the country and the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Norway in 43 years. He will call on King Harald V and Queen Sonja and hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, as well as address the India–Norway Business and Research Summit together with his Norwegian counterpart. According to the MEA, the visit will focus on enhancing trade and investment, leveraging the India–EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), and advancing co‑operation in clean and green technologies and the blue economy, including giving fresh momentum to bilateral trade of around USD 2.73 billion in 2024 and investments of close to USD 28 billion by Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global in Indian capital markets.

India–Nordic ties set for a stronger push at the Oslo summit.

Oslo summit to deepen India–Nordic ties

The 3rd India–Nordic Summit will be held in Oslo on 19 May 2026, where Mr Modi will join the Prime Ministers of Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Sweden. Building on earlier summits in Stockholm in April 2018 and Copenhagen in May 2022, the MEA says the Oslo meeting will impart a more strategic dimension to India’s partnership with the Nordic countries, especially in technology and innovation, green transition and renewable energy, sustainability, the blue economy, defence, space and the Arctic. The summit is also expected to give further impetus to India’s bilateral trade with Nordic countries, placed at USD 19 billion in 2024, and to strengthen investment ties and resilient supply chains following the India–EU FTA and India–EFTA TEPA.

Italy visit to advance strategic roadmap

In the final European leg, Mr Modi will undertake an official visit to Italy from 19–20 May at the invitation of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, following his last visit to the country for the G7 Summit in June 2024. During this visit, he will call on President Sergio Mattarella and hold talks with Prime Minister Meloni against the backdrop of what the MEA describes as strong momentum in bilateral ties under the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–2029. The Action Plan provides a roadmap for co‑operation across sectors such as trade and investment, defence and security, clean energy, innovation, science and technology and people‑to‑people exchanges, with Italian FDI into India recorded at a cumulative USD 3.66 billion between April 2000 and September 2025.