- Monday, June 05, 2023
By: Pramod Thomas
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi will embark on a three-day visit to Germany, Denmark and France from May 2, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) announced.
German chancellor Olaf Scholz will receive Modi in Berlin on May 2, a German government spokesperson said on Wednesday (27). Modi will then visit Denmark and will have a brief stop over in Paris on his return journey on May 4.
In Paris, Modi will hold talks with French president Emmanuel Macron, who was re-elected to the top post on Monday (25).
“In Berlin, the prime minister will hold bilateral talks with Olaf Scholz, and the two leaders will co-chair the sixth edition of the India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC),” the MEA said in a statement. “During his visit, the prime minister and chancellor Scholz would also jointly address a business event. The prime minister will address and interact with the Indian community in Germany.”
It will be Modi’s first meeting with Chancellor Scholz who took charge of the top office in December 2021.
According to the statement, the Russian aggression in Ukraine is likely to figure in Modi’s talks with the European leaders in all three countries.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Monday said that Europe will make sure that Moscow’s “unprovoked and unjustified” aggression against Ukraine will be a “strategic failure.
In 2021, India and Germany commemorated 70 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the two countries have been strategic partners since 2000.
“This visit will be an opportunity to enhance and intensify cooperation in a broad range of areas and for the two governments to exchange views on regional and global matters of mutual interest,” the MEA said.
Modi will travel to Copenhagen at the invitation of the Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen. He will also participate in the second India-Nordic summit being hosted by Denmark.
The MEA said the visit will include talks with Frederiksen as well as a meeting with Queen Margrethe II.
“The green strategic partnership was the first of its kind arrangement between India and Denmark. The visit would provide both sides an opportunity to review its progress, as well as examine ways to further expand our multifaceted cooperation,” the MEA said. “During the visit, Prime Minister will attend an India-Denmark Business Forum and also address members of the Indian diaspora.”
At the India-Nordic summit, Modi will also interact with other Nordic leaders including prime minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir of Iceland, prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre of Norway, prime minister Magdalena Andersson of Sweden and prime minister Sanna Marin of Finland.
According to MEA, 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.
On May 4, Modi will briefly stop over in Paris to meet Macron. “India and France are celebrating 75 years of their diplomatic relations this year and the meeting between the two leaders will set a more ambitious agenda of the strategic partnership,” it said.
(PTI)
