Merkel due told talks with Modi

• 5 October 2015
• From the section India

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will hold talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the opening day of her visit to India, aimed at bolstering trade ties between the two countries.

Ms Merkel will also meet President Pranab Mukherjee and Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday.

She will attend a business meet in the southern city of Bangalore on Tuesday.

Mr Modi visited Germany in April where he sought to convince more industries to begin manufacturing in India.

The Indian prime minister launched the “Make in India” campaign last year to boost manufacturing at home and create millions of new jobs.

Mr Modi welcomed Ms Merkel to India on his Twitter feed, saying that he looked “forward to fruitful discussions and strengthening India-Germany ties”.

The two leaders will hold talks on “issues of mutual interest”, including trade, defence and renewable energy, according to the Indian foreign ministry.

They are also likely to discuss stalled free trade agreement negotiations between India and the European Union which, if implemented, would boost bilateral commerce.