Karnataka’s Prime Minister Basavaraj Bommai said his government is keen to strengthen its cooperation with Sweden through technology, innovation, research and development and investment.

Bommai spoke to a delegation of Swedish companies at a seminar on investment facilitation organized by the Industries Department of Karnataka in Bengaluru on September 29, and said that the Bommai partnership has stood the test of time and can be further strengthened. Employment, investment and innovation were the three guiding principles of this government, he said.

The state government has prioritized sustainable growth and investment and is exploring collaborations in emerging technology, said the prime minister. “R&D will be a priority in the future and incentives for industries to invest in R & D will be introduced,” he said.

Sweden’s Ambassador Klas Molin said: “I am inspired by the constructive and forward-looking dialogue we had with Prime Minister Basavaraj Bommai. From Swedish brands such as ABB and Volvo to H&M and IKEA to several start-up companies, including Truecaller, Swedish companies continue to thrive in Karnataka. They help support their communities during the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and they continue to invest, expand and believe in India. ”

More than 200 Swedish companies are active in India and employ 2,000,000 people, of which 96 companies in Karnataka employ 42,000 people. Fourteen Swedish companies have manufacturing facilities in Karnataka.

The delegation also met with Wipro chairman Rishad Premji and visited the office of PlaySimple, which was recently acquired by the Swedish gaming giant Modern Times Group.