Vienna: PM Modi Calls On Austria President Alexander Van der Bellen

VIENNA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on the President of the Republic of Austria, Alexander Van der Bellen, in Vienna on Wednesday. PM Modi arrived in Vienna on Tuesday evening for a day-long State visit under the second leg of his two-nation tour. He was in Russia on a two-day visit where he met President Vladimir Putin.

This historic visit of PM Modi to Austria has reinforced the commitment to strengthen bilateral ties between India and Austria, emphasising core democratic values and the rule of law as shared foundations. The visit holds special significance as it marks several decades since an Indian Prime Minister last visited Austria, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

PM Modi expressed his delight, saying, "Had an excellent meeting with Chancellor Karl Nehammer. This visit to Austria is very special because it is after several decades that an Indian Prime Minister is visiting this wonderful country. It is also the time when we are marking 75 years of the India-Austria friendship."

Had a very good meeting with Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen and discussed ways to expand India-Austria cooperation. @vanderbellen pic.twitter.com/mrCtr0mg28 — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 10, 2024

"There are several shared principles that connect us such as democracy and rule of law. In the spirit of these shared values, Chancellor Karl Nehammer and I agreed to further cement the India-Austria friendship across various sectors," he said in a post on X. In addition to bilateral matters, PM Modi and Chancellor Nehammer exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, underscoring the importance of collaborative approaches to international challenges.

PM Modi and Austrian Chancellor Nehammer also participated in the India-Austria Business Meeting, bringing together around 40 businesses from both nations to explore new economic opportunities and strengthen bilateral trade relations. The two also addressed India-Austria joint press statement, following their delegation-level talks.

Notably, this is the first time an Indian Prime Minister has visited Austria in 41 years. Indira Gandhi was the last PM to visit Austria in 1983.