PM Narendra Modi to visit Europe in first overseas trip of year

New Delhi, April 27

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay an official visit to Germany, Denmark and France from May 2 to 4, according to an official announcement.

In Berlin, the PM will hold bilateral talks with the new German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the two will co-chair the 6th edition of India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations.

Modi will thereafter travel to Copenhagen at the invitation of Denmark PM Mette Frederiksen to participate in the second India-Nordic Summit as well as interact with all five Nordic PMs. On his return journey on May 4, the PM will briefly stop over in Paris and meet French President Emmanuel Macron who was elected for a second term.

The Prime Minister’s visit is expected to gather global attention because India is promoting closer ties with the US and Europe even as it has not condemned Russia for its invasion of Ukraine nor is it a willing partner in the sanctions against Moscow announced by the West.

The biennial India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC) is a unique dialogue format that also sees participation of several ministers from both sides. This will be the PM’s first IGC with Chancellor Scholz, and also the first such Government-to-Government consultations of the new German government, which assumed office in December 2021. During his visit, Prime Minister and Chancellor Scholz would also jointly address a business event. The PM will address and interact with the Indian community in Germany.

The PM’s visit to Berlin 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, said an MEA press release.

On the second leg of his visit, the PM will participate in the 2nd India-Nordic Summit being hosted by Denmark in Copenhagen. 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, said the MEA press release.

During the Summit, the PM will also interact with other Nordic leaders – Iceland PM Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Norway PM Jonas Gahr Støre, Swedish PM Magdalena Andersson and Finland PM Sanna Marin of Finland.

On his return journey, the PM will briefly stop over in Paris to meet Emmanuel Macron to set a more ambitious agenda of the Strategic Partnership.