Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin ahead of the sixth round of Biennial Inter Governmental Consultations (IGC) between India and Germany.
PM Modi was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour and received by Chancellor Scholz at the Federal Chancellery. The two leaders thereafter met in one-on-one format followed by delegation level talks.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, discussions covered key areas of bilateral cooperation under the overall strategic partnership, as well as regional and global developments.
Prime Minister Modi is visiting Germany at the invitation of Scholz following which he will travel to Copenhagen to hold bilateral engagements with Denmark PM Mette Frederiksen from May 3-4 and also participate in the Second India-Nordic Summit.
On the way back to India, he will make a brief stopover in Paris for a meeting with Emmanuel Macron, President of France.
"My visit to Berlin will be an opportunity to hold detailed bilateral discussions with Chancellor Scholz, whom I met at G20 last year in his previous capacity as Vice-Chancellor and Finance Minister. We will co-chair the 6th India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC), a unique biennial format which India conducts only with Germany. Several Indian ministers will also travel to Germany and hold consultations with their German counterparts," PM Modi said before his departure on Sunday.
The Prime Minister said that he sees the IGC as an early engagement with the new government in Germany, within six months of its formation, which will be helpful to identify the two countries' priorities for the medium and long term.
"In 2021, India and Germany commemorated 70 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations and have been strategic partners since 2000. I look forward to exchanging views with Chancellor Scholz on strategic, regional and global developments that concern us both," he added.
He said that continental Europe is home to over one million persons of Indian origin, and Germany has a significant proportion of this diaspora which is an important anchor in India's relations with Europe.
Herzlich willkommen in Berlin, lieber @narendramodi! Die ersten Regierungskonsultationen unserer neuen Bundesregierung finden mit der indischen Regierung statt. Das zeigt die besondere Qualität unserer Beziehungen. pic.twitter.com/NBwoQqvSMr
— Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz (@Bundeskanzler) May 2, 2022
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