New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a five-nation visit to the United Arab Emirates, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Italy from May 15 to 20, with a focus on strengthening trade, investment, technology, and strategic cooperation with Europe and the Gulf region.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the Prime Minister’s upcoming visit will further deepen India’s partnership with Europe across sectors, particularly trade and investment ties, in light of the recently concluded India-European Union Free Trade Agreement.
PM Modi will begin his tour with an official visit to the UAE on May 15, where he will hold talks with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The MEA said that the two leaders will have the opportunity to exchange views on bilateral issues, in particular energy cooperation, as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest.
They will also discuss ways to advance the bilateral Comprehensive Strategic Partnership underpinned by strong political, cultural, economic and people-to-people links. The visit will serve to promote the significant trade and investment linkages between the two countries.
In the second leg of the tour, PM Modi will visit the Netherlands from May 15 to 17 at the invitation of Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten. This will be his second visit to the country after 2017. During the visit, PM Modi will call on King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima, and hold talks with Prime Minister Rob Jetten. PM Modi’s visit will build on the momentum of high-level engagements and close cooperation spanning diverse sectors, including defence, security, innovation, green hydrogen, semiconductors and a Strategic Partnership on Water.
The MEA said that the Prime Minister’s visit early in the tenure of the new government will provide an opportunity to further deepen and expand the multifaceted partnership.
PM Modi will travel to Gothenburg, Sweden, on May 17-18 at the invitation of Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. The MEA said that PM Modi will hold bilateral talks with PM Kristersson to review the entire gamut of bilateral relations and explore new avenues of cooperation to enhance bilateral trade.
In the fourth leg of the tour, PM Modi will visit Norway from May 18 to 19 for bilateral engagements and the 3rd India-Nordic Summit. This will be the Prime Minister’s first visit to Norway and the first prime ministerial visit from India to the country in 43 years.
In the final leg of the visit, PM Modi will travel to Italy from May 19 to 20 at the invitation of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. During his visit, PM Modi will call on Italian President Sergio Mattarella and hold talks with Prime Minister Meloni.
