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Coordinates: 19°04′08″N 72°52′09″E / 19.06888°N 72.86906°E / 19.06888; 72.86906
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Consulate General of Sweden, Mumbai
LocationMumbai
Address3 Floor, C – 53, TCG Financial Centre
G – Block, BKC, Bandra (E)
Mumbai – 400098, Maharashtra,
India
Coordinates19°04′08″N 72°52′09″E / 19.06888°N 72.86906°E / 19.06888; 72.86906
Opening2012[a]
Closed1948[b]
Consul GeneralSven Östberg
WebsiteOfficial website

The Consulate General of Sweden, Mumbai is the diplomatic mission of Sweden in Mumbai.

History[edit]

Background[edit]

During the early years of the Age of Empire (1870s to mid-1880s), Sweden–Norway sought to expand its influence by increasing its consular presence in territories where major imperial powers were establishing colonial order. Unlike these powers, Sweden–Norway had few embassies, relying instead on consuls to represent its interests. The primary goal was to gain political prestige and economic benefits by supporting Swedish and Norwegian merchants and shipowners. However, the consular service faced several challenges. Consuls were often appointed based on reputation and connections rather than qualifications, leading to a lack of necessary skills and knowledge about Sweden–Norway's economic interests. Many consuls were Western merchants who also represented multiple countries and were deeply integrated into colonial networks. Despite some successes in social and political integration, the consular service struggled with economic obstacles and ultimately failed to effectively support trade and shipping. Efforts to reform the consular service, including the appointment of a reform committee in 1875, were insufficient, and by the time of the Berlin Conference almost a decade later, significant issues remained unresolved. This lack of a well-thought-out plan led to an inefficient consular service that did not meet its intended economic goals.[1]

1850–1930[edit]

Konsulatet (olönat) upprättades genom kungligt brev den 6 oktober 1857. Distriktet omfattade Bombay Presidency.[2]

The first Swedish-Norwegian consul in Bombay was Johann Georg Volkart, a Swiss business pioneer who co-founded Volkart Brothers in Winterthur and Bombay in 1851 with his brother Salomon. Salomon initially traveled to India in 1844 to explore sales opportunities for Swiss textile producers, forming connections with European merchants and securing a job for Johann with Huscke, Wattenbach & Co. Johann became head of their Bombay branch but lost his job when the firm dissolved in 1849. This led to the founding of Volkart Brothers on 1 February 1851. With offices in Winterthur and Bombay, Salomon managed the Swiss operations while Johann handled the Indian side. The firm traded in cotton, textiles, European imports, and Indian exports such as fish oil, coir, black pepper, and curry powder. By the late 1850s, it had grown into a medium-sized merchant house with nine European employees in Bombay, Cochin, and Colombo. While Johann's consulship lent prestige, he likely had little knowledge or interest in Swedish and Norwegian affairs.[3]

Volkart's successor, Julius Achenbach, served as the Swedish-Norwegian consul in Bombay from 1863 to 1865. He was also the Austrian consul and part of a network of German merchants who entered British East India as partners of British companies. Many of these German merchants had been naturalized and anglicized their names. Augustus Charles Gumpert, who served as Swedish-Norwegian consul to Bombay twice (from 1866 to 1871 and in 1876–77), and J.H. Riebe (1872–1875), were both German by birth. Gumpert, originally named August Carl, was naturalized in 1853 and served as consul not only for Sweden–Norway but also for Prussia, Oldenburg, Hamburg, Bremen, and later the North German Confederation. Since both he and Riebe were British citizens, their appointments had to be formally approved by Queen Victoria.[4]

The consular activities in Bombay had a modest impact on the commercial success of the Swedish-Norwegian consulate, as shipping and trade remained marginal despite well-established consuls. However, the Consular Committee had some expectations for Bombay, noting an increase in shipping from zero in 1870-1871 to eleven Norwegian and three Swedish ships. In colonized regions, Sweden-Norway's representatives were part of European expansion and were often European rather than specifically Swedish or Norwegian. This is exemplified by a donation from the Swedish-Norwegian consular fund to the European General Hospital in Bombay in 1875. Consul Riebe, a German-born British citizen representing Sweden-Norway, supported the donation because the hospital treated Europeans, including seamen. The Swedish National Board of Trade and the Norwegian Ministry of the Interior (Departementet for det indre) acknowledged the limited Swedish-Norwegian shipping presence but agreed to Riebe's proposal, resulting in a donation of 20 guineas, equivalent to about £2,223 in 2020.[5]

Consul Gumpert of Bombay resigned from his position in March 1877 due to illness and passed the role to J. Brandenburg of Bell Brandenburg. Gumpert praised Brandenburg as a person of esteemed social status, having been appointed to consular positions by both the German and Austrian-​Hungarian governments. However, when Gumpert passed away two months later, Brandenburg's application for the position was declined. The consulate general in London communicated to Stockholm that Brandenburg's firm lacked sufficient establishment to warrant his appointment. Despite serving as the acting Swedish-Norwegian consul for eight months, Brandenburg never appeared in any official Swedish-Norwegian publication.[6]

During the late nineteenth century, consular positions gained increasing prestige. Gumpert's second term ended abruptly with his death after only four months. Among the four candidates vying for his position was C.T. Meili, the local manager of Volkart Brothers, who was clearly favored by the Swedish. Despite Meili's good standing confirmed by the Norwegian Ministry of the Interior, Hamilton Maxwell of the Hamburg firm W. Nicol & Co. was appointed at the recommendation of Wilhelm Christopher Christophersen, a prominent consul general in Buenos Aires and later Norwegian foreign minister. Foreign Minister Oscar Björnstjerna concurred with the Norwegian choice, despite Volkart's excellent track record. Despite hopes expressed by the Consular Committee of 1875, Bombay's significance in trade and shipping did not increase in the following years. Maxwell's tenure was short-lived as the collapse of the City of Glasgow Bank in October 1878 led to his resignation after just nine months. Maxwell expressed his hope of recovering and returning to his post in a letter to Stockholm.[6]

In 1881, Maxwell was temporarily replaced by Guiseppe (Joseph) Janni, a representative of Österreichischer Lloyd. Initially, this was supposed to be a temporary arrangement, but Janni was eventually appointed permanently due to Maxwell's continued issues. Despite initial doubts, Janni's appointment brought stability to the consulate, although Bombay's significance did not increase during his tenure. Some authorities questioned Janni's reputation, but he received confirmation of his good standing, particularly from Ole Richter, the Swedish-Norwegian consul general in London. Janni served for another decade, providing stability to the consulate despite Bombay's lack of growth.[7]

In 1892, Giuseppe Janni, also the Austrian-Hungarian consul, resigned after 14 years as Swedish-Norwegian consul in Bombay. Three candidates emerged: Gillis Bildt, a member of a prominent Swedish family and agent of the Swedish General Export Association (Sveriges Allmänna Exportförening); Thomas Withey Cuffe, a British banker; and O. von Hoffer, Janni's partner at Österreichischer Lloyd. Von Hoffer initially led in the Norwegian Ministry of the Interior's ranking, but Bildt was favored by Swedish trade committees. Despite Bildt's connections, the Norwegians preferred Cuffe due to concerns over conflicts of interest. Foreign Minister Carl Lewenhaupt accepted Cuffe's appointment, ending the conflict. Cuffe served for four years before Wilhelm Friedrich Bickel, a Swiss citizen, succeeded him in 1898.[8]

During the initial two decades of the Bombay consulate, Sweden-Norway was represented by partners of Volkart Brothers, except for Bildt's application. Typically, only foreign applicants were considered. Despite growing criticism of foreign merchant consuls, there was no concerted effort by the Swedish-Norwegian government to replace them with their citizens. Even when qualified native candidates like Bildt emerged, consensus couldn't be reached. Thus, the consulate in Bombay remained under Volkart representatives.[9] In 1908, Hermann Uehlinger briefly served before being replaced by Lucas Volkart, continuing the longstanding partnership between Swedes and the Swiss merchants of Volkart Brothers.[10]

I utredningen 1918 angående Sveriges representation i utlandet föreslås en omorganisation av konsulära tjänster i Brittiska Indien, däribland Bombay. Exportföreningen föreslår att ett avlönat konsulat upprättas i Bombay, samt att en ambulerande handelsattaché anställs vid generalkonsulatet i Calcutta. Kommitterade anser dock att det inte är möjligt att omedelbart genomföra alla föreslagna åtgärder på grund av budgetbegränsningar och behov av avvägning mellan olika platser. Trots detta erkänner man vikten av Bombay som en växande hamnstad, särskilt för export av bomull och opium, tack vare dess strategiska läge nära Suezkanalen. Exportföreningen betonar vidare att svenska intressen i Bombay är betydande och att staden, tillsammans med andra viktiga hamnar som Calcutta, bör ha en stark svensk representation för att främja handelsrelationerna.[11]

1930–2012[edit]

Från och med 1930 utnämndes svenska affärsmän baserade i Indien till konsuler. Först ut var Alvar Möller som var Svenska Tändsticks AB (STAB), senare känt som Swedish Match, representant i Indien.[12] Han efterträddes 1932 av Sten Sundgren som arbetade för samma svenska tändsticksföretag i Indien. Han kom att förbli svensk honorärkonsul fram till 1946.[13]

År 1942 blev det honorära konsulatet i Bombay ett lönat generalkonsulat i och överflyttningen av det lönade generalkonsulat i Calcutta till Bombay, dit generalkonsul Constans Lundquist anlände den 8 juni.[14] Han efterträddes två år senare av Magnus Hallenborg. Under Hallenborgs tid som generalkonsul i Bombay Presidency var han also in charge of Rumanian, Japanese, Finnish and Hungarian interests.[15]

I statsverksproposition 1948 föreslogs det att generalkonsulsbefattningen i Bombay skulle flyttats till Antwerpen. Denna förändring skulle ske i samband med upprättandet av en ny beskickning i New Delhi.[16] I juli 1948 beslutade Kunglig Majestät att dra in det lönade generalkonsulatet i Bombay.[17] Vid årsskiftet 1948/49 upptog Sveriges nyinrättade beskickning i New Delhi sin verksamhet. De uppgifter, som tidigare åvilat stängda generalkonsulatet i Bombay, övertogs därmed av beskickningen.[18]

År 1946 tog Bertil Thorstenson över rollen som honorärkonsul efter Sundgren. Sundgren var chef för STAB:s företag i Indien, Pakistan, Burma och Ceylon från 1932 och dansk konsul i Bombay 1933-1947. Han utnämndes till svensk honorär generalkonsul 1949.[19] Han efterträddes av Tomas Heribert Rydin 1952–1956 som i sin tur efterträddes av ytterligare en STAB-anställd, Sven Göthberg, som tjänstgjorde som generalkonsul 1956-1966.[20] År 1966 utnämndes chefen för STAB:s indiska dotterbolag, Jan-Olof Guthe, till ny generalkonsul. Han lämnade posten tre år senare.[21]

Från 1970 var det indiska affärsmän som var generalkonsuler i Bombay. Först ut var Akbar Hydari, son of the civil servant and politician Muhammad Saleh Akbar Hydari. Hydari var chairman of the Western India Match Company (WIMCO) Ltd, ett dotterbolag till Swedish Match.[22] Hydari tjänstgjorde fram till 1990.[23]

Mellan 2001 och 2007 var K. C. Mehra honorär generalkonsul.[24] Han var chairman för det svenska företaget SKF's dotter bolag i Indien, SKF Bearings India Ltd.[25]






År 1949, honorär generalkonsul men lönat vicekonsul Dag Bergman.[26] År 1966, honorär generalkonsul men lönat vicekonsul Gunnar-Axel Dahlström.[27]

2012–present[edit]

Genom en överenskommelse år 2011 mellan Swedish Social Democratic Party och Reinfeldt cabinet bestämdes det att ett generalkonsulat skulle öppnas i Mumbai.[28]

2012 öppnades ett nytt generalkonsulat i Mumbai, inriktat på handelsfrämjande.[29]

Tasks[edit]

19th and early 20th centuries[edit]

The Swedish–Norwegian consulate in Bombay primarily aimed to support trade and shipping, promoting the interests of Swedish and Norwegian merchants and shipowners. By establishing a consular presence, Sweden–Norway sought to gain political prestige and integrate into colonial networks, emulating the practices of larger imperial powers. The consuls, often Western merchants with connections in the colonial system, represented Sweden–Norway in these broader networks.[30] The consulate engaged in activities such as facilitating imports of European products to India and exports of Indian commodities like cotton, fish oil, and spices to Europe. They also participated in social and political activities, exemplified by donations to local institutions like the European General Hospital in Bombay. Despite these efforts, the consular service faced significant economic challenges, and its impact on Swedish-Norwegian shipping and trade remained limited.[4]

Consular appointments were complex and involved recommendations from various authorities. Consuls were often chosen based on reputation and connections rather than their specific knowledge of Sweden–Norway's interests. The consulate aimed to maintain stability, ensuring a seamless transition when consuls resigned or passed away.[31] The consular service struggled to effectively support trade and achieve its economic goals, reflecting the broader challenges faced by Sweden–Norway in establishing a significant presence in the global colonial order. Despite some successes in social and political integration, the overall impact on trade and shipping was modest.[32] The consulate in Bombay remained largely in the hands of foreign merchants, particularly those from the Swiss firm Volkart Brothers, throughout this period.[10]

2012–present[edit]

The Consulate General focuses on promoting trade and investment as well as enhancing the image of Sweden. This involves supporting trade and investments, contributing to an updated perception of Sweden, and fostering exchanges between Sweden and India. Another important task is to provide consular services to Swedish citizens, including those on temporary visits.[33]

The Consulate General collaborates with the Swedish embassy in New Delhi, Business Sweden, and the Swedish-Indian Chamber of Commerce under the framework of Team Sweden. Together, they work to create connections and promote collaborations within various strategic industries, with particular emphasis on energy and environmental technology, healthcare, and IT. The Consulate General also disseminates information on how Swedish innovation, technology, and services can benefit India.[33]

District[edit]

När konsulatet upprättades 1857 omfattade distriktet Bombay Presidency.[2]

Sedan generalkonsulatet återetablerades 2012 så består distriktet av delstaterna Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa and the union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. Det är ett område med en befolkning på ca 180 miljoner personer.[33]

Buildings[edit]

Chancery[edit]

  • 1944: -[34]
  • 1948: Indian Mercantile Chambers, Ballard Estate, Bombay[35]
  • 1956: Indian Mercantile Chambers, Nicol Road, Ballard Estate, Bombay 1
  • 1966: »Shangri La», Flat No. 1, 26, Carmichael Road; postadr. P. O. Box 6544, Bombay 26[27]

Residence[edit]

Heads of Mission[edit]

Name Period Title Notes Ref
J. G. Volkart 7 September 1858 – 29 May 1861 Honorary consul Died in office. [2]
Julius Achenbach 17 February 1863 – 12 December 1865 Honorary consul [2]
Augustus Charles Gumpert 20 November 1866 – 5 October 1871 Honorary consul [2]
J. H. Riebe 12 April 1872 – 29 August 1875 Honorary consul Died in office. [2]
Augustus Charles Gumpert 24 November 1876 – March 1877 Honorary consul Died in office. [2]
J. Brandenburg 1877–1878 Acting honorary consul [6]
Hamilton Maxwell 7 January 1878 – 1 November 1878 Honorary consul [2]
Guiseppe Janni 10 October 1878 – ? Acting honorary consul [2]
Guiseppe Janni 6 August 1881 – 2 December 1892 Honorary consul [2]
Thomas Withey Cuffe 30 March 1894 – 29 April 1898 Honorary consul [2]
Wilhelm Friedrich Bickel 30 December 1898 – 20 July 1908 Honorary consul [2]
Hermann Uehlinger 6 November 1908 – 22 July 1910 Honorary consul [2]
Lucas Volkart 31 August 1910 – 1920 Honorary consul [2][36]
Julius Mueller 1920–1925 Honorary consul [37]
Giacomo Zino Meli 1925–1929 Honorary consul [38]
– 1929–1930 Honorary consul Vacant. [39]
Alvar Möller 1930–1932 Honorary consul [40]
Sten Sundgren 1932–1946 Honorary consul [34]
Constans Lundquist 8 June 1942 – 1944 Consul general The Consulate General moved from Calcutta to Bombay. [14]
Magnus Hallenborg 1944–1948 Consul general With jurisdiction also in the Island of Ceylon. [41][35]
Bertil Thorstenson 1949–1952 Honorary consul general Honorary consul 1946-49. [35][42]
Tomas Heribert Rydin 1952–1956 Honorary consul general [43]
Sven Göthberg 1956–1966 Honorary consul general [27]
Jan-Olof Guthe 1966–1969 Honorary consul general [44]
Akbar Hydari 1970–1990 Honorary consul general [23]
Fredie Mehta 1990–2001 Honorary consul general [45]
K. C. Mehra 2001–2007 Honorary consul general [24]
Rakesh Makhija 2008–???? Honorary consul general [46]
Fredrika Ornbrant 2012–2016 Consul general [47]
Ulrika Sundberg 2016–2019 Consul general [48]
Anna Lekvall 2019–2023 Consul general [49]
Sven Östberg 2023–present Consul general [50]

Footnotes[edit]

  1. ^ The current consulate general originated from the honorary consulate that was opened on 6 October 1857. It was upgraded to a career consulate general in 1942, which closed in 1948 and reopened in 2012.
  2. ^ The former career consulate general, which was converted from an honorary consulate in 1942, closed in 1948.

References[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Makko 2020, pp. 98–99
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Almquist 1914, p. 363
  3. ^ Makko 2020, p. 76
  4. ^ a b Makko 2020, pp. 76–77
  5. ^ Makko 2020, p. 77
  6. ^ a b c Makko 2020, p. 78
  7. ^ Makko 2020, pp. 78–79
  8. ^ Makko 2020, p. 167
  9. ^ Makko 2020, p. 168
  10. ^ a b Makko 2020, p. 214
  11. ^ Betänkande rörande omorganisation av Utrikesdepartementet samt Sveriges representation i utlandet 1 Förslag till ny organisation av Utrikesdepartementet, förändrade avlöningsbestämmelser för vissa befattningshavare inom Utrikesdepartementet samt för beskickningar och konsulat, förändrade bestämmelser för antagande och utbildning av attachéer i Utrikesdepartementets tjänst samt vissa åtgärder i syfte att omedelbart förstärka vår yttre representation (in Swedish). Stockholm. 1919. SELIBR 1699135. Retrieved 20 May 2024.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  12. ^ Svensson & Ekstedt 1955, p. 662
  13. ^ Burling 1962, p. 1023
  14. ^ a b "Generalkonsulatet i Kalkutta" [The Consulate General in Calcutta]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 1942-06-18. p. 4A. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  15. ^ Bombay Civil List. Madras: Superintendent Government India Press. 1945. p. 309. Retrieved 21 May 2024 – via Digital Library of India.
  16. ^ "Kungl. Maj.ts proposition nr 117" (in Swedish). Stockholm: Riksdagen. 18 March 1949. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  17. ^ "Utnämningar inom diplomatin". Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 1948-07-23. p. 4A. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  18. ^ "Beskickningen i New Delhi" [The mission in New Delhi]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 1949-01-20. p. 4A. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  19. ^ Sveriges statskalender för året 1953 (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1953. p. 1058.
  20. ^ Jönsson 2000, p. 425
  21. ^ Almqvist 1997, p. 412
  22. ^ Satyajit, ed. (1984). India Who's Who 1984. New Delhi: INFA Publications. p. 142a. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  23. ^ a b Spiegelberg 1990, p. 359
  24. ^ a b Spiegelberg 2007, p. 176
  25. ^ "Mr. K. C. Mehra". Council of EU Chambers of Commerce in India. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  26. ^ Sveriges statskalender för året 1949 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1949. p. 309.
  27. ^ a b c Sveriges statskalender 1966 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1966. p. 308.
  28. ^ "Konstitutionsutskottets betänkande 2012/13:KU1" (in Swedish). Stockholm: Committee on the Constitution. 2012. p. 97. Retrieved 17 May 2024 – via Riksdagen.
  29. ^ "Indien" [India] (in Swedish). Government Offices of Sweden. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  30. ^ Makko 2020, p. 98
  31. ^ Makko 2020, p. 99
  32. ^ Makko 2020, p. 77
  33. ^ a b c "Om oss" [About us] (in Swedish). Consulate General of Sweden, Mumbai. 11 October 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  34. ^ a b c Sveriges statskalender för skottåret 1944 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1944. p. 270.
  35. ^ a b c d Sveriges statskalender för skottåret 1948 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1948. p. 277.
  36. ^ Sveriges statskalender för skottåret 1920 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksell. 1920. p. 188.
  37. ^ Sveriges statskalender för året 1925 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksell. 1925. p. 200.
  38. ^ Sveriges statskalender för året 1929 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksell. 1929. p. 198.
  39. ^ Sveriges statskalender för året 1930 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksell. 1930. p. 198.
  40. ^ Sveriges statskalender för året 1932 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1932. p. 202.
  41. ^ "No. 36683". The London Gazette. 1 September 1944. p. 4080.
  42. ^ Sveriges statskalender för skottåret 1952 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1952. p. 313.
  43. ^ Sveriges statskalender för skottåret 1956 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1956. p. 334.
  44. ^ Sköldenberg 1969, p. 356
  45. ^ Spiegelberg 2001, p. 179
  46. ^ Sveriges statskalender 2010 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedts Juridik AB/Fritzes. 2010. p. 182. ISBN 978-91-38-32520-9. SELIBR 11846164.
  47. ^ Nihlén 2014, p. A8
  48. ^ "Ny generalkonsul i Mumbai" [New Consul General in Mumbai] (Press release) (in Swedish). Government Offices of Sweden. 7 April 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  49. ^ "Ny generalkonsul i Mumbai" [New Consul General in Mumbai] (Press release) (in Swedish). Government Offices of Sweden. 18 July 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  50. ^ "Ny generalkonsul i Mumbai" [New Consul General in Mumbai] (Press release) (in Swedish). Government Offices of Sweden. 29 June 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2024.

Print[edit]

External links[edit]

Mumbai Sweden Category:India–Sweden relations Category:1857 establishments in India

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