Ambassador meets members of India friendship group in Austrian Parliament, discusses growing momentum
Vienna, June 26
India's Ambassador to Austria, Shambhu S. Kumaran, on Friday met members of the India Friendship Group in the Austrian Parliament and discussed the growing momentum in bilateral relations.
"Ambassador Shambhu S. Kumaran met members of the India Friendship Group in Austrian Parliament. Members of the Group from the National Council of Austria, Ms. Elisabeth Gotze (The Greens-Chair), Mr. Harald Servus (OVP), Mr. Andreas Minnich (OVP), Dr. Axel Kassegger (FPO), Mr. Gerhard Kaniak (FPO) and Mr. Yannick Shetty (NEOS) attended," the Embassy/Permanent Mission of India in Vienna wrote on X.
"Wide ranging discussions on the growing momentum in India-Austria relations and opportunities to further deepen bilateral cooperation in trade, sustainability, innovation, mobility, supply chain resilience as well as new areas including security and defence, Space and emerging technologies," it added.
Austrian Federal Chancellor Christian Storker visited India in April, marking his first-ever official visit to India, aimed at strengthening bilateral ties across key sectors such as trade, investment and emerging technologies.
During his visit, Stocker hailed India's role bilaterally and in international forums, saying that New Delhi's "voice carries a lot of weight". He stated that he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi agree that peace in all conflicts can be achieved through negotiations.
Addressing a joint press meet with PM Modi following their talks in New Delhi, Stocker stated that he and Prime Minister Modi support a rules-based order and not a world where "might is right".
Terming his visit to New Delhi a "milestone" for bilateral ties, he said, "My visit is in fact a milestone for Austrian-Indian relations, and I am very pleased, and I also think it's a great honour to be the first federal Chancellor to visit India in more than 40 years. Mr Prime Minister, you visited Vienna in the summer of 2024, and I think we can truly say that the diplomatic relations that we've had for the last 75 years are much stronger than ever before, and we will be trying to build on this positive dynamism. And thank you very much, Mr Prime Minister, for your invitation and also for your very friendly welcome and your hospitality."
— IANS
Reader Comments
Glad to see a European country like Austria engaging seriously with India. The focus on supply chain resilience and emerging tech is crucial for both sides. Hope this translates into concrete projects soon.
"Might is right" comment by Stocker is very telling. It's good that India and Austria both believe in rules-based order. But I wish our government would also push for stronger human rights and climate collaboration, not just economic deals. Still, a positive step.
Interesting meeting. India's rise as a global player is undeniable. The fact that Austrian MPs from different parties are coming together for this friendship group shows genuine interest. More of this, less of empty photo ops.
Austrian Chancellor Stocker's visit was indeed historic. India's voice in global forums is getting louder, and it's nice to see European leaders acknowledging that. But let's not forget that mutual respect must be backed by equal trade terms and visa ease for Indian professionals.
I wonder how much of this will actually benefit the common Indian. Diplomatic talks are fine, but we need trade deals that create jobs for our youth and open up markets for our products. Space and security are high-level stuff—hope it trickles down.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.