Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Austria on Tuesday following the conclusion of his two-day visit to Russia, as reported by PTI. During his stay in Austria, Modi is scheduled to meet Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen and engage in discussions with Chancellor Karl Nehammer in Vienna.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Historic Visit to Austria
Notably, this marks the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Austria in 41 years, with the last being Indira Gandhi in 1983.
Wrapping Up the Russia Visit
Earlier in the day, Modi wrapped up his high-profile visit to Russia, where he participated in the 22nd India-Russia annual summit alongside President Vladimir Putin. This visit marked his first to Russia since the country’s involvement in the Ukraine conflict.
Throughout Modi’s two-day trip to Russia, New Delhi and Moscow signed nine MoUs and agreements covering various sectors, including trade, climate, and research. During his visit, PM Modi also lauded India’s longstanding relationship with Russia, describing the country as India’s “all-weather friend.” He praised President Putin for enhancing bilateral ties over the past two decades.
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Modi also held discussions with Russian President Putin at the Kremlin, where he reaffirmed India’s commitment to peace and expressed readiness to assist in resolving the conflict in Ukraine. Modi expressed deep sorrow over the tragic killing of innocent children, describing it as heartbreaking and extremely painful. His remarks came a day after global outrage erupted following a suspected Russian missile strike on a children’s hospital in Kyiv.
“Let’s take war, any conflict or terrorist acts: any person who believes in humanity feels pain when people die, and especially when innocent children die. When we feel such pain, the heart simply explodes, and I had the opportunity to talk about these issues with you yesterday,” Modi told Putin.
Strengthening Bilateral Ties: India-Russia Agreements
According to the Ministry of External Affairs’ list of agreements and MoUs, India and Russia have agreed on a program for bilateral cooperation in trade, economic, and investment spheres in the Russian Far East for the period 2024-2029. Additionally, both nations have established cooperation principles in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation. These initiatives aim to bolster trade and joint investment projects between Russia’s Far East Region and India.
Honorary Recognition: Order of St. Andrew
Modi was ceremonially bestowed with Russia’s highest civilian honour, the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle the First-Called, by President Putin during his visit. Remarkably, although PM Modi was awarded this distinction in 2019, he received the physical award during this visit.
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