German Foreign Minister Dr Frank-Walter Steinmeier, along with a strong business delegation, arrived in New Delhi on Saturday for a two-day visit.
During his visit, the Foreign Minister will hold political discussions with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his counterpart Sushma Swaraj, Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani, Minister for Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs M Venkaiah Naidu and the Minister for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman.
The new Indian Government hopes to improve its trade relations with Germany and is seeking commitment from German investors to fund Indian projects. Dr Steinmeier is accompanied by a high-profile business delegation which will hold meetings with Indian business leaders to work out measures to boost bilateral trade and facilitate German investment in India. The business delegation will be received by Minister of Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati and prominent business people from Andhra Pradesh. Dr Steinmeier’s delegation also includes German Members of Parliament and representatives from the cultural sector, and journalists. During his visit, the visiting Foreign Minister will hold talks with several Indian intellectuals and artists.
“Indo-German relations have always been very good and cordial. The new German and the new Indian Governments share important interests. The individual strengths of our two countries are such, that India and Germany can complement each other very well. There is huge potential in closer cooperation in several key areas, like trade, business, education, science, environment and energy. This visit will intensify Indo-German relations and help us make progress in these sectors further strengthening our bilateral ties,” said German Ambassador to India Michael Steiner.
The German Government is helping in restoration of Chausath Khamba in the Nizamuddin area of Delhi while a German-made tunnel-drilling machine is being used by Delhi Metro at IIT area. Dr Steinmeier will visit the construction site of the Delhi Metro at IIT Gate on Sunday. He will also visit a Kendriya Vidyalaya School where he will meet Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani and interact with a group of Indian pupils. The German Government supports ‘Deutsch an 1000 Schulen’ (German in 1000 Schools).
The visiting Foreign Minister will also visit Chausath Khamba in the Nizamuddin area of Delhi. The German Foreign Office is financially supporting the restoration of the Chausath Khamba, led by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.