State Visit by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam to Sweden, 19 to 21 October 2026

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam is on a State Visit to Sweden.

 On 19 October 2026, President Tharman received a ceremonial welcome at the Royal Palace by Their Majesties King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia in Stockholm. President Tharman and His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf noted the 60^th anniversary of diplomatic relations, and reaffirmed the deepening relationship between Singapore and Sweden which is underpinned by mutual trust, regular high-level exchanges, and cooperation in areas ranging from research and innovation to investments in both directions, and energy diversification. President Tharman and His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf visited the Ericsson Image Studio where they attended a roundtable discussion on emerging technologies. They witnessed the signing of the Joint Declaration on Strategic Cooperation on Trusted and Innovative Technologies. The Joint Declaration is at Annex.

President Tharman met Speaker of the House Andreas Norlén and other Members of the Riksdag. They exchanged views on developments in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, and agreed on the importance of Singapore and Sweden working together to uphold a rules-based multilateral system.

President Tharman also met Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. President Tharman and Prime Minister Kristersson welcomed the increasing cooperation between Singapore and Sweden, not only in traditional areas like trade and defence technologies, but also in new areas like energy, innovation, and green technologies. They exchanged views on regional and global developments and discussed how both countries can work together to deepen ASEAN-Sweden and ASEAN-EU cooperation, such as in rules to foster digital trade, especially during Singapore’s ASEAN Chairmanship and the 50^th anniversary of ASEAN-EU relations in 2027.

On 18 October 2026, President Tharman met Leader of the Social Democratic Party Magdalena Andersson. They exchanged views on regional and global issues. President Tharman also met other Swedish leaders, including from businesses and the government.

President Tharman was hosted to a State Banquet by Their Majesties King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia in the evening of 19 October 2026. On 20 October 2026, President Tharman will deliver a lecture at the Stockholm School of Economics, and be hosted to lunch by the Stockholm City Council.  President Tharman will visit the city of Gothenburg on 21 October 2026, where he will be hosted to lunch by Governor of Västra Götaland Sten Tolgfors.             

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 

SINGAPORE 

19 OCTOBER 2026

ANNEX

Joint Declaration on Strategic Cooperation on
Trusted and Innovative Technologies

The Government of the Kingdom of Sweden and the Government of the Republic of Singapore (hereinafter jointly referred to as “the Participants”),

Recognizing the importance of open, secure, trusted and resilient technology and supply chains;

Noting their strong capabilities in research, innovation and advanced manufacturing, as well as their complementary strengths in strategically important technology sectors;

Affirming their commitment to international cooperation in addressing challenges relating to technology and critical infrastructure;

Sharing an interest in strengthening their capacity to develop and commercialize advanced technologies;

Contributing to strengthening the respect for international rules and norms in these areas;

Considering their longstanding cooperation between industry, academia and government across areas including energy, healthcare, innovation, trusted connectivity, transport, quantum technologies, defence, and critical underwater infrastructure;

Have reached the following understanding:

I.              Purpose

The purpose of this Joint Declaration is to strengthen bilateral cooperation on emerging technologies and other areas that contribute to our mutual prosperity and competitiveness, drawing on the complementary strengths of the Participants from government, industry and academia. Through such cooperation, the Participants intend to support innovation and strengthen their societies and economies.

This Joint Declaration reflects the common intentions of the Participants and does not constitute or create, nor is it intended to constitute or create, rights or obligations under national or international law. It does not entail financial commitments for either Participant and should be implemented in accordance with the respective laws, regulations and procedures of the Participants.

II.           Potential Areas of Cooperation

Technology and Supply Chains

Emerging technologies are reshaping global supply chains, including areas that reflect the complementary strengths of the Participants.

The Participants intend to strengthen resilience and enhance competitiveness through cooperation in areas such as semiconductors and other strategic hardware; Internet of Things (IoT) technologies; artificial intelligence (AI) models and applications; quantum technologies; digital and physical infrastructure, and advanced and trusted connectivity, including 5G/6G applications.

Cyber Security and Trusted Connectivity

Recognizing the growing scale and sophistication of cyber threats, the Participants intend to strengthen cooperation on cyber security, resilience in the information and communications technology domain, and post-quantum cryptography (PQC).

Sweden and Singapore possess complementary strengths in telecommunications, digital infrastructure and the deployment of advanced technologies. Building on these strengths, the Participants intend to promote trusted connectivity and explore opportunities for cooperation on advanced communications technologies.

The Participants intend to explore exchanges on development in emerging technologies and digitalization, considering mutual interests and complementary strengths.  Such exchanges may include promoting exchanges of knowledge and expertise, regarding areas such as, 6G, cyber security and AI, as well as dialogue on approaches to trusted connectivity.

Trustworthy AI Deployment and Governance

The rapid development of AI creates new opportunities across the economy and society, while also raising important questions relating to governance, security and public trust.

The Participants share an interest in promoting the responsible development and deployment of AI. Exchanges may include approaches to AI governance, public-sector digital transformation, regulatory approaches, workforce preparedness, and practical measures supporting the responsible use of AI.

International Rules, Norms and Standards

Emerging technologies raise new policy and regulatory questions that increasingly require international engagement.

The Participants intend to deepen exchanges on technology-related issues and, where appropriate, cooperate in relevant multilateral, regional and standards-setting bodies. Areas of interest may include telecommunications, cyber security, AI, quantum technologies, and digital infrastructure.

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The Participants reaffirm their intention to work together and, where appropriate, with international partners to foster conditions that support innovation, strengthen digital security, and reinforce resilience.

Through this strategic cooperation, the Participants seek to advance a partnership founded on trust, complementary strengths, and a shared commitment to a prosperous and sustainable future.

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