German Foreign Minister visiting India

New Delhi: Ahead of talks between its Foreign Minister and his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj on Monday, Germany on Saturday said it shares important interest with Indian government and minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier's visit will intensify Indo-German relations in key areas like trade, business and energy.

The German Foreign Minister will be here on a three-day visit starting today and "will hold political talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Swaraj as well as Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani, Minister for Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs M. Venkaiah Naidu and Minister for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman," a German Embassy release said here.

Ahead of his visit, the German Ambassador to India Michael Steiner welcomed the Foreign Minister's visit and said "Indo-German relations have always been very good and cordial. The new German and the new Indian governments share important interests. The individual strengths of our two countries are such that India and Germany can complement each other very well.

"There is huge potential in closer cooperation in several key areas like trade, business, education, science, environment and energy. This visit will intensify Indo-German relations and help us make progress in these sectors further strengthening our bilateral ties."

The Foreign Minister and the high-profile business delegation accompanying him will also hold meetings with Indian business leaders in order to boost bilateral trade and facilitate German investment, it said.

"The Minister will also visit Chausath Khamba in the Nizamuddin area of Delhi. The Foreign Office financially supports the restoration of the Chausath Khamba, led by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, in order to renew the beauty of this precious monument," the release said.