New Delhi, April 16 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker held a bilateral meeting at New Delhi's Hyderabad House on Thursday, focusing on enhancing cooperation in trade, investment, green technology, and critical sectors.Earlier in the day, the Austrian Chancellor paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. In a post on X, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, "Remembering Bapu and his ideals. Federal Chancellor Dr Christian Stocker of Austria paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, laying a wreath and reflecting on Gandhiji's enduring message of peace, non-violence and global harmony."Stocker arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday. This is his first official visit to India, aimed at strengthening bilateral ties across key sectors including trade, investment and emerging technologies.

Earlier on Wednesday, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar called on the Austrian Chancellor, expressing confidence that his talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, set to be held on Thursday, will open new avenues for greater cooperation between the two nations."Delighted to call on Federal Chancellor Dr Christian Stocker of Austria, as he begins his first official visit to India. Confident that his discussions with PM Narendra Modi tomorrow will open new avenues for greater cooperation across various domains," EAM Jaishankar posted on X.Earlier in the day, Stocker hailed the growth of India, stressing that it is investing massively in infrastructure and technology and is the European Union's (EU) "most important trading partner" in South Asia."India is growing at around seven per cent per year, investing massively in infrastructure and technology, and is today the EU's most important trading partner in South Asia. For Austria, a small but highly innovative export nation, this is an enormous opportunity that we want to actively seize," Stocker posted on X after his arrival.

"Especially in times of global uncertainties, stable partnerships are the key to economic success. That is why I will be in New Delhi for the next three days: to create concrete framework conditions so that Austrian companies can benefit from this growth -- through new cooperations, deepened partnerships, and even better access to this dynamic market," he added.This visit marks Stocker's first trip to India and his maiden official visit to Asia since assuming office in 2025.Stocker is accompanied by a high-level delegation, including senior ministers, government officials and business leaders, underlining the strong economic focus of the visit. Both sides are expected to explore opportunities to deepen collaboration in areas such as advanced manufacturing, digital innovation and renewable energy.The visit comes amid growing economic engagement between the two countries. Discussions are also likely to cover regional and global issues of mutual interest, as well as cooperation in multilateral forums.India and Austria share long-standing, friendly relations rooted in shared democratic values. The visit builds on the momentum generated by PM Modi's visit to Austria in 2024 and is expected to further strengthen the India–Austria partnership, opening new avenues for strategic and economic cooperation.

/IANS