Prime minister Narendra Modi has left for a packed trip to Europe, covering four countries in five days.
His journey starts at Meseberg near Berlin, where he will have a private dinner with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday night.
Modi, in his pre-departure statement, elaborated the nature of his engagements in Germany, Spain, Russia and France. The talks in Germany, Spain and Russia are largely to extend the economic aspect of the relationship with these nations.
In Spain, the first India Spain CEOs Forum will be held on the sidelines of his visit. The St Petersberg stop will see him interact with President Vladimir Putin to take forward the dialogue from the last interaction in Goa in October 2016. Modi will also be the special guest at the St Petersberg International Economic Forum.
The PM will inveterate with state governors—a first of its kind engagement that hopes to have state-to-state links between Russia and India in the future. This is the 70th year of India's diplomatic relations with Russia.
The Paris stop to meet the new French President Emmanuel Macron doesn't have any business agenda. It is more to get acquainted with Macron. France is an important strategic partner and officials say that in these relationships, it is always better to establish rapport with new leaders soon after they take over.
Modi said he will be “exchanging views on important global issues including UN Security Council reforms and India's permanent membership of the UN Security council and India's membership to the various multilateral export control regimes.''
