Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Chancellor Angela Merkel for joint cabinet talks in Berlin on Tuesday as the Asian population giant and Europe's top economy seek to deepen ties. Merkel has long cultivated strategic relations with the world's biggest democracy and rival Asian power to China, whose Prime Minister Li Keqiang will also visit Berlin this week. Having had a dinner Monday at the Schloss Meseberg retreat outside Berlin, Modi and Merkel on Tuesday lead a joint cabinet meeting grouping foreign, economy, environment and other ministers. Germany is India's largest trading partner in the EU, and a top source of foreign direct investment. Two-way trade has more than tripled over the past decade to over €17 billion ($19 billion) in 2016, of which German exports make up almost €10 billion.

Source: The Local May 30, 2017 07:30 UTC