AMN / BERLIN
INDIAN Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reached Berlin tonight, German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed Mr Modi on his arrival. Both the leaders will hold bilateral talks tonight.
Indian PM is meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a stopover in Berlin on Friday, April 20, after concluding his visits to Sweden and the United Kingdom.
It will be the first meeting between the two leaders since Merkel began her fourth term as German chancellor last month.
In a tweet, The Prime Minister said, he had a wonderful meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Mr Modi said they discussed multiple aspects relating to India-Germany cooperation as well as other global issues.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said Mr Modi’s visit demonstrates India’s mutual desire to strengthen the strategic partnership.
Modi’s visit “demonstrates the commitment by the two countries to maintain the momentum of high level exchanges,” India’s foreign ministry said.
The Indian premier’s meeting with Merkel comes after German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s trip to India last month, which focused on boosting economic and strategic ties between the two countries. Germany is India’s largest trade partner in the European Union bloc.
G. Parthasarathy, a former diplomat, said Germany and France are expected to play a bigger economic role within the EU after the Brexit process is completed. “The reality is that India has to rely more on Germany if it wants to continue with its economic progress. The smaller European countries do not matter much,” Parthasarathy told DW.
Rajendra Jain, a professor at the Center for European Studies in New Delhi, said Germany is pivotal to PM Modi’s foreign policy because of its economic and political clout in the world.
“India needs Germany to invest in its infrastructure, renewable energy projects, skills development and water management,” Jain told DW.
India’s ambassador to Germany, Mukta Dutta Tomar said, the Prime Minister’s visit will provide an opportunity for both leaders to exchange views on several bilateral, regional and global issues.
Had a wonderful meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel. We discussed multiple aspects relating to India-Germany cooperation as well as other global issues. pic.twitter.com/aH1pLddhku
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 20, 2018
Story is edited by Andalib Akhter