NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday phoned up German Chancellor Angela Merkel and greeted on her birthday, apart from extending an invitation to visit the country next year.
Modi telephoned Merkel in Frankfurt, when the Air India One made a “technical halt” there. He was on his way back to India from Brasilia, where he attended the BRICS summit.
The PM was to meet Merkel when he had made a brief stop in Berlin en route to Brazil. But that didn’t materialise as Germany entered the finals of the FIFA World Cup and she had left for Rio de Janeiro to watch the game.
“Had a telephonic conversation with Chancellor Merkel. Wished her on her birthday & congratulated her on Germany’s win at the FIFA World Cup,” Modi tweeted after making the phone call to Merkel from his hotel in Frankfurt.
“Germany is India’s valued friend & I look forward to working with Chancellor Merkel to make India’s relations with Germany stronger,” his another tweet read. “The PM complimented the German Chancellor on the splendid victory of the German football team and also conveyed his good wishes on her 60th birthday,” a release from the PMO said.
Modi conveyed to Merkel that India regarded Germany as “a very important partner” and that his government would work “closely” with the German side to “strengthen and deepen” the bilateral strategic partnership.