Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a six-day four-nation tour, said on Monday that he "had a very good interaction" with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at Schloss Meseberg in Berlin. He also urged Europe to lead the way in dealing with the menace of terrorism.
Both Modi and Merkel held informal talks while walking in the gardens of Schloss Meseberg — a Baroque castle of the 18th century in Germany's Brandenburg district, which happens to be the official state guest house of the German Chancellor, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.
"The bonds of a fruitful partnership. Chancellor Merkel receives Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Schloss Messeberg before a private dinner," an official from the ministry of external affairs said in a statement.
The two leaders discussed issues of mutual interest during the course of their informal talks. Formal discussions of Modi's visit to Germany will begin from Tuesday.
Had a very good interaction with Chancellor Merkel. pic.twitter.com/5SQb5l205M
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 29, 2017
In an exclusive interview with German newspaper Handelsblatt, Modi spoke about dealing with terrorism and said: "Europe has been hit hard by terrorism. To our mind, terrorism is the gravest challenge facing humanity. Europe must play a lead role in developing an effective global response under the aegis of the United Nations to deal with this menace."
He also spoke about Indo-German relations, saying that India considers Germany an important partner to boost national programmes like Make in India, Skill India, Start-up India, Clean India and Smart Cities.
"We are keen to attract German Mittelstand [small and medium enterprises] to partner with us in our Make in India programme. We are committed to provide a supportive business ecosystem to those who join us in our growth story," Modi said.
"We have established dedicated platforms to support German companies and investments in India. There is strong commitment from the leadership on both sides to strengthen economic relations. I am very optimistic about this partnership," he added.
Modi also said that India would fully support a successful outcome of the G20 Summit that is scheduled to be held at Hamburg in Germany in July this year. "The G20 has emerged as a premier forum for coordination on international and financial matters. Our expectation is that G20 would be able to enhance global growth," Modi said.
The delegation of senior ministers who are accompanying Modi on the tour also held talks with their German counterparts. The delegation includes Minister for Commerce Nirmala Sitharaman, Power Minister Piyush Goyal, and Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar.
Modi is set to receive a ceremonial welcome, following which he will hold formal talks with Merkel as part of the India-Germany Intergovernmental Consultations [IGC] on Tuesday. The talks allow for a comprehensive review of the bilateral relations between both countries. Modi and Merkel will also meet top businessmen from India and Germany with the aim to further strengthen trade and investment ties.
Modi is also slated to meet German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at his official residence at Castle Bellevue before travelling to Spain on Tuesday evening.
