Modi to visit Germany, Denmark and France from Monday

New Delhi, May 1, 2022

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Germany, Denmark and France this week to strengthen the spirit of cooperation with India's European partners at a time when, according to him, the region is facing many challenges and choices.

Modi will be in Berlin, Germany tomorrow at the invitation of Chancellor Olaf Scholz. He will then travel to Copenhagen, Denmark on May 3-4, where he will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and also participate in the Second India-Nordic Summit.

On the way back to India, he will make a brief stopover in Paris, France for a meeting with President Emmanuel Macron.

"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," Modi said in a pre-departure sttement.

"I see this IGC as an early engagement with the new government in Germany, within six months of its formation, which will be helpful to identify our priorities for the medium and long term," he said.

In 2021, India and Germany commemorated 70 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations and have been strategic partners since 2000.

Modi said he looked forward to exchanging views with Chancellor Scholz on strategic, regional and global developments that concern both countries.

"The long standing commercial ties between India and Germany form one of the pillars of our Strategic Partnership, and Chancellor Scholz and I will also jointly address a Business Roundtable with the goal of energising our industry to industry cooperation, which will help strengthen the post-Covid economic recovery in both countries," he said.

He noted that continental Europe is home to over one million persons of Indian origin, and Germany has a significant proportion of this diaspora.

"The Indian Diaspora is an important anchor in our relations with Europe and therefore I will take the opportunity of my visit to the continent to meet our brothers and sisters there," he said.

From Berlin, Modi will travel to Copenhagen where he will have a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Frederiksen which will provide an opportunity to review the progress in India's unique "Green Strategic Partnership" with Denmark, as well as other aspects of their bilateral relations. He will also participate in the India-Denmark Business Roundtable as well as interact with the Indian community in Denmark.

Apart from the bilateral engagements with Denmark, Modi will also take part in the 2nd India-Nordic Summit along with Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Sweden and Norway where they will take stock of their cooperation since the First India-Nordic Summit in 2018.

"The Summit will focus on subjects like post-pandemic economic recovery, climate change, innovation and technology, renewable energy, the evolving global security scenario and India-Nordic cooperation in the Arctic region," he said.

The Prime Minister said that, on the sidelines of the summit, he would also meet the leaders of the other four Nordic countries and review the progress in India’s bilateral relations with them.

"Nordic countries are important partners for India in sustainability, renewable energy, digitisation and innovation. The visit will help in expanding our multifaceted cooperation with the Nordic region," he said.

"During my return journey, I will stop over in Paris to meet my friend, President Macron. President Macron has very recently been re-elected, and my visit just ten days after the result will not only allow me to convey my personal congratulations in person, but also reaffirm the close friendship between the two countries. This will also give us the opportunity to set the tone of the next phase of the India-France Strategic Partnership.

"President Macron and I will share assessments on various regional and global issues and will take stock of ongoing bilateral cooperation. It is my firm belief that two countries that share such similar vision and values for the global order, must work in close cooperation with each other.

"My visit to Europe comes at a time when the region faces many challenges and choices. Through my engagements, I intend to strengthen the spirit of cooperation with our European partners, who are important companions in India’s quest for peace and prosperity," the Prime Minister added.

NNN