Bilateral talks between Prime Minister Modi and German Chancellor Merkel

Berlin: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Germany in the last leg of his Europe visit. The Indian Prime Minister met German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday. Sources informed that there were bilateral discussions as well discussions on international issues in the meeting. German President Frank Walter Steinmeier had visited India only last month.

Germany is India’s biggest trading partner in Europe and the turnover of bilateral trade between the two countries is almost $19 billion. This visit of Prime Minister Modi is considered important as the leaders of both countries had expressed a desire to increase the bilateral strategic partnership during the German President’s visit. Friday’s meeting between the Indian Prime Minister and the German Chancellor in Berlin was focused on the same issue, informed the Foreign department. Many important issues related to bilateral cooperation were discussed in the meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Chancellor Merkel. Chancellor Merkel also underlined the importance of bilateral cooperation saying that steps are being taken to strengthen the friendship between the two countries, while welcoming Indian Prime Minister. This is the first time that the Indian Prime Minister Modi is meeting Merkel, since her election as Chancellor for the fourth time.

Before visiting Germany, the Prime Minister had bilateral talks with leaders of the member nations present for the ‘Commonwealth’ Conference in the UK. The UK has taken an insistent stand that India should increase its participation in the Commonwealth. The Indian Prime Minister is supposed to have adopted a positive stance on this matter.