The Sweden-India bilateral relationship dates back to 1949, two years after Indian independence. India and Sweden followed a non-alignment policy during the Cold War, though the latter country was unofficially inclined towards the US-led North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). In the 1990s, the relationship between New Delhi and Stockholm turned sour due to the Bofors-India Howitzer deal, commonly known as the Bofors scandal. With the bilateral ties improved substantially in the 2000s, both countries witnessed frequent visits from top leaders.