Nehammer said following the working meeting with Modi that he had explored possibilities to initiate a process towards a “comprehensive”, “fair” and “lasting peace in accordance with the UN Charter”.
The Hindu nationalist Modi, who has been in office for ten years, landed at Vienna’s Schwechat airport on Tuesday evening from Moscow. Immediately followingwards, the 73-year-old met Nehammer for dinner and a one-on-one conversation. The guest was accompanied by a delegation of around 120 people, including his foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, advisors and business representatives.
In Russia, Modi met with the ruler Vladimir Putin. He has good personal relations with him, but at the same time strives to maintain equidistance from the West. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, India has been increasingly importing cheap oil from the Russian Federation. Modi described Putin on Tuesday as a “dear friend”. At the same time, he criticized military conflicts in general terms. His trips to Russia and Austria are the first since the beginning of his third term as prime minister.
Video: Modi was received in Vienna on Wednesday
During the joint press statements with Nehammer in Vienna, Modi reiterated what he had said during his visit to Russia: “Problems cannot be solved on the battlefield. The loss of innocent lives is unacceptable,” the Indian head of government said, calling for dialogue. Austria and India provided their support for this.
Peace process as a common goal
Nehammer also offered Austria – as “part of the EU” but “not part of a military alliance” – as a partner and place for dialogue to end the “Russian war of aggression once morest Ukraine”. A peace process is the “common goal” of Vienna and New Delhi. He wants a “free and prosperous Ukraine”, stressed the Chancellor.
Image: (APA/JAKOB LANGWIESER)
“}”>
Image: (APA/JAKOB LANGWIESER)
The second major topic between the two heads of government was bilateral cooperation in the economy and science, which is to be strengthened and expanded. Nehammer mentioned the areas of infrastructure, urban development and renewable energies, for example. As a result of his visit, Modi announced that India and Austria are entering into a start-up partnership. In addition, a comprehensive ten-year roadmap for joint cooperation is being drawn up.
Following their meeting at the Federal Chancellery, Nehammer and Modi went to the Hofburg for an Indian-Austrian business forum. With a bilateral trade volume of around 2.7 billion euros in 2023, India is one of Austria’s most important trading partners outside the EU, according to the Federal Chancellery. According to the Austrian National Bank (OeNB), Austrian direct investments in India amounted to 733 million euros at the end of 2023, while Indian direct investments in Austria reached 1.6 billion euros. Around 150 Austrian companies have branches in India.