Strengthening ties, sharing common goals, agreeing on one thing about Ukraine

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the Austrian capital Vienna and held discussions with the host country's leadership on bilateral relations and the international situation on July 10.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (left) and his Austrian counterpart Karl Nehammer during a welcoming ceremony for the Asian nation's leader on July 10 in Vienna. (Source: AP)

NDTV news agency said this is the first visit by an Indian prime minister to Austria in more than 40 years, after Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's visit in 1983.

In Vienna, Prime Minister Modi met and discussed with his Austrian counterpart Karl Nehammer on various fields.

In a joint statement after the meeting, the two sides emphasized deepening political, economic and security relations.

New Delhi and Vienna strongly support the ongoing trade and investment negotiations between India and the European Union (EU) as well as the early implementation of the EU-India Connectivity Partnership.

Regarding the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, Prime Minister Modi affirmed at a joint press conference that diplomacy is the only solution to end these crises, AP news agency reported.

According to him, India and Austria are ready to provide all possible assistance to quickly restore peace and stability in Ukraine.

For his part, Prime Minister Nehammer stressed that both Vienna and New Delhi share the "common goal" of achieving "comprehensive, just and lasting peace, in accordance with the United Nations Charter".

After meeting his host counterpart, Prime Minister Modi held talks with Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen on ways to further expand bilateral cooperation in a number of areas, including environment and climate change.

President Van der Bellen thanked Mr. Modi for visiting Austria, saying that the two countries have a long-standing friendship and strong bilateral relations, especially in the economic field. “Now, we want to expand this further,” he stressed on social network X.

President Van der Bellen stressed that as the world's most populous country and an economic powerhouse, India plays an important role in the fight against climate change.

The two leaders also discussed current geopolitical challenges, especially the conflict in Ukraine, and agreed to support efforts to restore peace.

During his two-day visit to Austria, Prime Minister Modi also met with business leaders from both countries and invited host country companies to invest in infrastructure, energy, new technology, etc. in India.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/thu-tuong-an-do-lan-dau-tham-ao-sau-hon-40-nam-siet-chat-tinh-than-chia-se-muc-tieu-chung-nhat-tri-mot-dieu-ve-ukraine-278264.html