Gothenburg [Sweden], May 18 (ANI): The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Sunday said that business leaders and CEOs who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Sweden expressed strong interest in India and appreciated the country's transformation driven by sustained economic reforms over the past several years.

Addressing reporters after the European Round Table industry meeting organised by Volvo Group, MEA Secretary (West) Sibi George said that CEOs and senior industry leaders highlighted the significant changes they have witnessed in India in recent years.

'In PM Modi's meetings today with the CEOs and other senior leaders, they all highlighted their interest in India...What they have seen is a complete transformation in India in the last few years...They spoke about the reforms which continued in India over the last several years and these reforms have led to the transformation of India...They all appreciated the transformation in India,' said George.

He also said that Prime Minister Modi and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson exchanged special gifts celebrating the shared cultural legacy of Rabindranath Tagore. According to George, According to George, the Swedish Prime Minister gifted PM Modi a box containing two replicas of handwritten epigrams by Tagore, along with an explanatory note and a photograph of the Nobel laureate taken during his 1921 visit to Uppsala University.

'PM Modi and Prime Minister of Sweden exchanged special gifts celebrating the shared cultural legacy of Rabindranath Tagore. The gift from the Prime Minister of Sweden comprised a box containing two replicas of handwritten epigrams by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, accompanied by a small explanatory text and a photograph of Gurudev Tagore taken in 1921 during his visit to Uppsala University in Sweden,' said the senior MEA official.

The MEA Secretary (West) further stated that Prime Minister Modi presented the Swedish Prime Minister with a set of collected works of Rabindranath Tagore, along with a specially handcrafted bag from Shanti Niketan featuring motifs chosen by Tagore to empower local artisans.

'Prime Minister Modi presented to the Swedish Prime Minister a set of collected works of Rabindranath Tagore, along with a specially handicrafted bag from Shanti Niketan with motifs that Gurudev Tagore chose to empower local artisans. The bag symbolises Tagore's philosophy that art is not meant to be confined to galleries, but to breathe life into everyday objects, bridging the gap between the intellectual and the functional,' he said.

PM Modi along with Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, senior European industry leaders, and representatives from leading European and Indian companies, participated in the European CEO round table hosted by the Volvo Group.

PM Modi is in Sweden currently, which is the third leg of his five-nation tour. He will later head to Norway on May 18. (ANI)