Vienna: In a first prime ministerial visit from India to Austria in four decades, Prime Minister Narendra Modi after concluding his high-profile Russia visit arrived in Vienna on Wednesday to mark his two-day trip to that country during which the two nations will explore ways to further deepen their bilateral relationship and closer cooperation on the many geopolitical challenges.
The last PM to visit the country was Indira Gandhi in 1983. Prime Minister Modi will call on the President of the Republic of Austria, Alexander Van der Bellen. The Prime Minister joined dinner hosted by Austria Chancellor Karl Nehammer, where he was greeted by members of the Indian diaspora. PM Modi landed in Austria on Wednesday where he was welcomed by Indian Ambassador to Austria Shambhu Kumaran and Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg.
Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg extended a warm welcome to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said "A warm welcome to Indian PM @narendramodi on his historic visit to Austria, marking 75 years of diplomatic relations. The partnership between our nations is based on a joint commitment to global security, stability and prosperity."
Following this, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer also welcomed PM Modi, calling India a friend and partner adding that he also stated that he looked forward to discussing politics and economics during the visit. "Welcome to Vienna, PM @narendramodi ! It is a pleasure and honour to welcome you to Austria. Austria and India are friends and partners. I look forward to our political and economic discussions during your visit!," Karl Nehammer wrote in a post on X while sharing a selfie with PM Modi.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8">Happy to meet you in Vienna, Chancellor @karlnehammer. The India-Austria friendship is strong and it will get even stronger in the times to come. https://t.co/Sr1FSjVnk3
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 9, 2024
In response to Nehammer's warm welcome, PM Modi thanked him and stated India and Austria will continue to work together. In a post on X, PM Modi said while sharing some really good pictures of him and Nehammer, "Thank you, Chancellor @karlnehammer, for the warm welcome. I look forward to our discussions tomorrow as well. Our nations will continue working together to further global good." Notably, this is the first time an Indian Prime Minister has visited Austria in 41 years. In 1983, Indira Gandhi was the last PM to visit the country.
India-Austria bilateral relations in history
Modi's official visit on July 9-10 comes when India and Austria mark 75 years of their diplomatic relations. Jawaharlal Nehru travelled to Austria in 1955 in the first prime ministerial visit since diplomatic ties were established in 1949.
"India and Austria have had a regular exchange of visits including at the level of leaders, ministers and parliamentarians highlighting the importance that both countries accord to further strengthening their relations," according to a profile of India-Austria bilateral relations put up on the website of the Ministry of External Affairs.
It also shares the history of PM-level and President-level visits from India to Austria. Then prime minister Indira Gandhi visited Austria in 1971 which was followed by the visit of then Austrian chancellor Bruno Kreisky in 1980. Gandhi's visit in 1983 was followed by the visit of then chancellor Fred Sinowatz in 1984, it said. Gandhi was in Vienna from June 16-18 during her 1983 visit, people familiar with the matter said. While there have been no prime ministerial visits from India since Indira Gandhi's visit, there have been President-level visits to the country.
The then president K R Narayanan visited Austria in 1999; then president Heinz Fischer visited in 2005; then Austrian Vice Chancellor Josef Proll in 2010; and then president Pratibha Devisingh Patil in 2011, according to the profile on the MEA website. Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra last week said, "This will be Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first visit to Austria. Prime Minister had met then Austrian Chancellor, who's now the Foreign Minister, His Excellency Schallenberg, in October 2021 on the sidelines of COP26 in Glasgow. The last prime ministerial visit from India to Austria took place more than 40 years ago.”(With agency inputs)
