Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened on Sunday the Hanover Messe, the world’s largest industrial fair, alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
“Germany has done more than any other Western country to tap India's world of business,” the Prime Minister said, urging trade and investment ties between the two nations to strengthen further.
“If we want to fulfill the dreams of our youth, then our nation must be a hub for production in the world. We need these investments and initiatives,” Mr. Modi said in his opening remarks in Hanover.
India is the partner country of this year's trade fair, which brings together about 6,500 exhibitors from 70 nations. About 400 industry representatives are expected from India.
India plans to use its prominent role in Hanover to help get rid of its image as a complicated place to do business in.
“We are pleased that your economy is on a path of reform,” Ms. Merkel said to Mr. Modi, whose government came to power after winning landside elections last year on promises to revive the lacklustre economy and to cut bureaucratic red tape.
Part of a three-nation tour that includes France and Canada, Mr. Modi's visit to the fair will include a tour of the premises and an Indo-German Business Summit.
On Tuesday he is due in Berlin, where he will be greeted with full military honours ahead of talks with Ms. Merkel at her office. While in Germany, Mr. Modi is also due to hold talks with German Economics Minister Sigmar Gabriel and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Mr. Modi is promoting his "Make In India" campaign, which he launched in September 2014 to encourage foreign companies to manufacture their products in India. The campaign identified 25 key sectors - including automotive, pharmaceuticals, information technology and tourism and hospitality - as having the maximum potential for growth.
Germany is India’s largest trading partner in Europe and total bilateral trade between the two countries was valued at 16.08 billion euro (17 billion dollars) in 2013. There are currently more than 1,600 Indo-German business collaborations and 600 Indo-German joint ventures in operation.
In France last week, Mr. Modi met with French President Francois Hollande. The two leaders announced multiple bilateral deals, including India's purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets and two separate agreements related to a nuclear power project in Jaitapur, in Maharashtra.
The final stop of his trip will be Canada.
