S.S. Ahluwalia leads Indian Parliamentary Delegation to Sweden

NEW DELHI (INDIA): Parliamentary India’s Affairs and Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister S.S. Ahluwalia, led anIndian Parliamentary delegation on a three-day visit to Sweden for promoting and strengthening parliamentary relations between the two countries.nnThe visit, which concluded late last night, is expected to re-energize the existing high-level contacts between India and Sweden and further strengthen bilateral relations.nnDuring the visit, the Indian delegation met Swedish Minister for Policy Coordination and Energy, Ibrahim Baylan, the Speaker of the Riksdag (Swedish Parliament), Urban Ahlin, and Foreign Minister Ms. Margot Wallström.nnAhluwalia, in his meetings with the Swedish dignitaries, thanked Sweden for its consistent and unequivocal support to India?s candidature to the expanded permanent membership of the UN Security Council (UNSC) and membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).nnHe expressed satisfaction at the continued strengthening of bilateral relations and underlined importance of Parliamentary relations between the two democracies, including upcoming visit of the Speaker of Swedish Riksdag to India.nnThe Minister further discussed the entire gamut of bilateral political and economic relations in addition to other issues of global concern. He emphasized on the threat posed by international terrorism globally, especially in the South Asian region, and the need for the international community to join hands to combat this global menace, including its state-sponsorship and funding.nnAhluwalia stressed that these perpetrators of terror were not small-time anarchists but rather they were well-educated, well-motivated, well-trained, well-armed, well-connected and well-funded terrorists.nnThe Minister sought Swedish support for the Global Convention against International Terrorism at the UN.nnThe Ministerial delegation, during the visit, also visited Swedish Parliament and met Ms. Asa Coenraads, Chairman of the India-Sweden Parliamentary Association in the Riksdag, who was joined by a couple of other Parliamentarians. A dozen other Swedish Parliamentarians and officials also participated in the luncheon interaction hosted by Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Swedish Parliament, Kenneth G. Forslund, and exchanged views and information on a wide range of issues of mutual interest.nnThe Indian delegation also interacted with the Indian Diaspora in Sweden, representatives of Swedish Parliament, Government, business community and industry at a reception, hosted by Indian Ambassador onika Kapil Mohta during the visit. During the reception, the delegation was also given a presentation on India-Sweden economic relations by the Chairman of the Sweden-India Business Council.nnThe Parliamentary delegation, among others, comprised nine Members of Parliament ? Bhartruhari Mahtab, MP(LS), BJD; Amdayala Paddu Jithender Reddy, MP(LS),TRS; Chandrakant Bhaurao Khaire, MP(LS), Shiv Sena; Ram Kumar Verma, MP(RS), BJP;  Manchacheri Kuppadakkath Raghavan, MP(LS), INC; Palanivel Kumar, MP(LS), AIADMK;  Chintakunta Munaiah Ramesh, MP(RS), TDP;Mohammed Faizal Padippura, MP (LS),NCP; and Yerram Venkata Subba Reddy, MP(LS), YSRCP ? and Rajiv Yadav, Secretary, Parliamentary Affairs.