PM Modi May Meet Angela Merkel In Germany Stopover En Route To Brazil

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, July 03, 2014:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to make a stopover at Germany on his way to Brazil for a summit meeting and may meet Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Mr Modi’s visit to Frankfurt is likely to coincide with the FIFA world cup final in Brazil’s Rio De Janiero. If Ms Merkel meets him, she may miss the football final on July 13, and a chance to see her country’s team play, if it qualifies.

The German team will take on France on July 4 in the first quarter final.

Indian foreign ministry sources say the PM is leaving for Brazil between July 11 and 13 for the meeting of the BRICS grouping that comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.  Sources said Mr Modi’s meetings in Frankfurt are yet to be decided, and the possibility of a meeting with Chancellor Merkel "is being looked at."

Mr Modi and all other BRICS leaders have been invited to watch the World Cup Final, besides President Barack Obama and Chancellor Merkel.

The foreign ministry maintains that the PM will not watch the FIFA final. NDTV has learnt, however, that an advance Indian government team that has been sent to Brazil to screen the venue of the BRICS summit in Fortaleza, also visited Rio, the venue of the football final.

Reports say annual trade between India and Germany is pegged at over 18 billion euros or Rs. 1,46,700 crore.  The PM is expected to pursue his policy of inviting foreign powers to invest and create assets in India, especially with Germany, one of its biggest trading partners.

The next day, the heads of five big emerging world economies -Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, together known as Brics - will meet in the eastern Brazilian port city of Fortaleza.