PM meets top German business leaders

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met top German business leaders here and told them about steps being taken by his government to ensure the ease of doing business in India.

The Prime Minister outlined the steps at a roundtable where the business leaders shared their views on how to improve the ease of doing business in the country. Modi, who reached this northern German city from Paris, held the roundtable meet with CEOs from leading German companies like Daimler, Bombardier, Voith and Metro AG, on the first day of his three-day visit to Germany.

About 15 CEOs attended the meet followed by one-on-one meetings with Modi. The Prime Minister 

told them he has already taken steps to ensure doing business and has identified around 80-90 things in this regard, sources said. Giving an assurance to them, he said he was personally monitoring implementation of these steps. Later speaking at another function, Modi said India presents vast opportunities as it was modernising and developing.

He particularly referred to opportunities in areas of manufacturing, infrastructure development, Ganges cleaning and solid waste management. "Business is 1st in order of priority PM @narendramodi assisted by @CimGOI engages with German business leaders," tweeted External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin.

"Movers & shakers of German economy/industry meet with PM," Akbaruddin tweeted. Modi was accompanied by Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The Prime Minister also praised German innovation and excellence in manufacturing. Modi, who arrived here earlier in the day, tweeted, "Hallo Germany! Reached Hannover a short while ago." 

From the Langenhagen Airport he went straight to his hotel where several Indians enthusiastically greeted him. He shook hands with some of them as they shouted 'Modi, Modi'.

During his stay, Modi will meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Business and technology is the focus of his first trip to Germany. He will visit the Hannover Fair where India is a partner country this year. About 400 Indian companies are participating in the fair which will see the presence of about 100-120 Indian CEOs besides about 3,000 German delegates.