New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Austria Tuesday evening after concluding an important visit to Russia. This is the first time in over 40 years that an Indian Prime Minister has visited Austria. Indira Gandhi vistied Austria, back in 1983.During a joint press conference in Vienna, Prime Minister Modi said that solutions cannot be found on the battlefield. He emphasized the importance of diplomacy and negotiations in solving global issues.This trip of mine is historic: PM ModiThe Prime Minister declared his visit historic and stated that he was pleased about the opportunity to visit Austria at the beginning of his third term. In his statement, he said, This trip of mine is historic and special. After 41 years, an Indian PM has visited Austria. Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer and I held a very meaningful discussion. We discussed new possibilities to strengthen our ties further. We have decided to give these ties a strategic direction.Chancellor Nehammer and I have spoken at length about ongoing conflicts around the world, be it the conflict in Ukraine or the situation in West Asia. I have said before that this is not the time for war, PM Modi said.Watch the video here:Addressing the press meet with Chancellor @karlnehammer in Vienna. https://t.co/dKleqH32KH— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 10, 2024Areas of cooperationThe discussions between Prime Minister Modi and Chancellor Nehammer focused on various sectors including infrastructure development, renewable energy, hydrogen, water and waste management, and artificial intelligence. The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of linking each others capabilities in these areas to strengthen bilateral ties.There are several shared principles that connect us such as democracy and rule of law. In the spirit of these shared values, Chancellor @karlnehammer and I agreed to further cement the India-Austria friendship across various sectors.— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 10, 2024What has Austrian chancellor saidAustrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer also spoke about the strong relationship between India and Austria. He mentioned the historical context, noting that the relationship of trust began in the 1950s when India helped Austria, which led to the positive conclusion of the Austrian State Treaty in 1955. Austrian Chancellor said, India helped Austria and in 1955, the negotiations came to a positive conclusion with the Austrian State Treaty. What unites India and Austria is concern over the development of the geopolitical situation.
