India-Austria friendship to get stronger in times to come: PM Modi

The India-Austria friendship is strong, and it will get even stronger in the times to come, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said as he met Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer for a private engagement ahead of their official talks on Wednesday to tap the full potential of the bilateral partnership.

Modi arrived here from Moscow on Tuesday evening on a two-day visit, the first by an Indian prime minister in over 40 years.

Modi was welcomed by Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg at the airport.

"An important milestone in India-Austria partnership! PM @narendramodi hosted by Austrian Chancellor @karlnehammer for a private engagement. This is the first meeting between the two leaders. Discussions on realising the full potential of bilateral partnership lie ahead," MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X, along with photographs of the two leaders together in Vienna.

Modi was seen hugging Nehammer in one of the photos, while in another, the Austrian chancellor was