The Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived here earlier on Sunday, tweeted, “Hallo Germany! Reached Hannover a short while ago.”
From the Langenhagen Airport he went straight to his hotel where several Indians enthusiastically greeted him. He shook hands with some of them as they shouted ‘Modi, Modi’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was accompanied by Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
ADVERTISEMENT
During his stay, Mr Modi will meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Business and technology is the focus of the Prime Minister’s first trip to Germany.
He will visit the Hannover Fair where India is a partner country this year. About 400 Indian companies are participating in the fair which will see the presence of up to 120 Indian CEOs besides about 3,000 German delegates.
Mr Modi and Ms Merkel will inaugurate the ‘India Pavilion’ of the Fair and address an Indo-German business summit. The two leaders will have detailed talks in Berlin focusing on how Germany can work with India in its developmental agenda.
ADVERTISEMENT
The two leaders will address the Hannover Fair Business Summit, which focuses on the possibilities for promoting trade and industrial cooperation between India and Germany.
They will hold detailed discussions on various aspects of bilateral relations and international issues of “mutual interest” at their official talks in Berlin on Tuesday.
Germany is India’s largest trading partner in the EU and one of the top 10 global trading partners.
The overall exchange of goods and services between the two countries was valued at around around €15.96 billion last year, a drop of €1.14 billion from the level of €16.10 billion registered in 2013.
While India’s exports to Germany rose marginally to € 7.03 billion in 2014, its German imports dropped to €8.92 billion from €9.19 billion in the previous year, according to the Federal Statistical Office.
Germany is the 8th largest foreign investor in India. Its foreign direct investments in India during January-November 2014 was valued at around $ 995.7 million.
More than 1,600 Indo-German collaborations and around 600 Indo-German joint ventures are currently in operation.
“Business is 1st in order of priority PM @narendramodi assisted by @CimGOI engages with German business leaders,” tweeted External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin.