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Saab Showcases India Engagement At Sweden-India Nobel Memorial Week

4 min read

Saab participated enthusiastically at the recently concluded sixth celebration of the Sweden-India Nobel Memorial Week being organized by the Swedish Trade Council and the Embassy of Sweden in New Delhi. It was a six day celebration from 29th October, 2012 to 3rd November, 2012.

Saab activities at the Nobel week ranged from presentation on topics like skill development for Indian students and Skeldar to closed meetings with ministers and the announcement of enhancement employability program for Indian engineering students.

The opening day saw a presentation by Saab and Linköping University at Creative Sweden Showcase Day 1 on the skill development options for Indian students at Linköping University. This followed a day later with a closed meeting between members from Saab and the Minister of Enterprise, Sweden, Annie Lööf.

Thomas Hammarlund, Director Industrial Cooperation, Saab, Lars Holberg, Director of International Affairs, Linköping University and a professor from Linköping University presented skill development options for Indian students at Linköping University at Creative Sweden Showcase Day 1.

“Saab has a unique focus on Research & Development. 22% of total sales of Saab are invested in R&D. Saab does R&D in close cooperation with customers which helps in making the products cost-efficient. Cooperation on R&D with universities helps address market trends and provides market intelligence to students. This is used to develop strategies for commercializing new technology. Also, Saab has a great record for spin-offs’, said Thomas.

The Skeldar day on October 31 started with a media briefing by Hans Berglund, Director Marketing UAS and progressed to an inauguration of a seminar on Skeldar by Marita Ljung, Secretary of State, Sweden.

Presentations were made on Skeldar, Carabas and Battlefield Management System in the seminar and it was attended by officials and dignitaries from Embassy of Sweden, Ministry of Enterprise, Ministry of Energy & Communications, DRDO, Indian Air Force, Navy, National Technical Research Organisation and Piramal Systems & Technology Pvt. Ltd.

Lars-Olof Lindgren, Head of Saab India said at the seminar, “Saab has a wide range of products on offer in India in categories like air, navy, land, civil security, surveillance, electronic warfare, reconnaissance. Saab has made a long-term commitment to India. Saab is prepared to support Indian ambition to create indigenous defence industry for mutual benefits. Marita Ljung said, “Sweden supports India’s security goals and we are not only seeking buyers for our products but also strategic partnership with India. Sweden companies including Saab are intensifying production in India. The way Saab has increased its footprint in India in the last six years has been commendable.”

Peter Sundh, Alfred Nobel’s impersonator was in the country during the Sweden India Nobel Memorial week and he made many public appearances and met students from various universities, inaugurated painting exhibition at Wonderwall gallery, met employees at Saab and got photographs clicked with Lena Olving and other Saab employees. He also tasted gravlax at a cook-out at Delhi’s The Park hotel in Janpath, involving kids from Sweden and India dishing out smorgasbord (a traditional Swedish buffet-style meal). Peter Sundh also tpook on the role of a quiz master and asked few questions to the participating teams in the final round of Sweden India Nobel Memorial quiz and got photographs clicked.

During the course of the week, Saab attended a seminar on India &Sweden:

Collaboration on Skills Development at Federation house, New Delhi. Saab announced ‘Diploma Employment Enhancement Program’ (DEEP), an employability enhancement and skill development program for Indian Engineering students at the seminar.

DEEP is designed to bridge the gap between industry’s requirements and the Indian technical education system. The first pilot classes in collaboration with Indian Technical Institutes will start in December 2012.

Other speakers at the seminar were Annie Loof, Minister of Enterprise, Sweden , His Excellency Harald Sandberg, the Ambassador of Sweden to India, Mr Ulf Rudebark, Vice President, Strategic Relations & Joint Ventures, Saab, Mr Sushil Ramola, CEO & MD, B-Able, Mr Sameer Khanna, Head HR, Ericsson India and Mr Sanjeev Duggal, CEO and Executive Director, Centum Learning and Co-Chair, FICCI Skill Development Forum.

Annie Loof said, “The theme of Sweden India Nobel Memorial week is ‘Energy of Innovation: Co-creating the Future’ and I firmly believe that vocational training and skill development is a key part of the theme of innovation because knowledge, creativity and cooperation are key components of innovation and also, entrepreneurship. Innovation holds the key to a better and prosperous future.”

The Nobel week concluded with a Gala Dinner Reception at the beautiful garden of the Swedish Embassy. More than 1000 guests turned up and savored the Indian and Swedish cuisines and live music and dance performances by an array of Swedish performers.

Saab’s participation at the Nobel week got wide coverage from print and online media alike.