'Our relations are deepening, waiting for your visit': Merkel to PM Modi (Update:Modi)

Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the people of Germany and her government were looking forward to his visit, and added that bilateral ties between New Delhi and Berlin are deepening.

Both leaders met this morning on the sidelines of the ongoing G-20 Summit.

"Our relations are deepening...Waiting for your visit - German Chancellor Angela Merkel to PM @narendramodi," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin's Twitter handle revealed.

Bilateral relations between India and Germany have traditionally been strong due to substantial commercial, cultural and strategic co-operation.

Germany continues to be India's largest trading partner in Europe and is currently the eighth largest foreign direct investor in India.

In the period 2000-2012, foreign direct investment from Germany totalled about 5.2 billion USD, constituting about three per cent of total FDI to India.

Indian investments in Germany too have seen sharp increase in last few years.

Both countries also share a strategic partnership and relations are based on a sound foundation of mutual respect, understanding and support.

In 2011, both nations celebrated 60 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations. A Year of Germany in India was organised under the motto 'Infinite Opportunities - Germany and India 2011-2012'. The festival traveled through

New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Pune.

In April 2013, the second round of Indo-German Intergovernmental Consultations took place in Berlin. In September 2013, the German Embassy organized the historic and worldwide televised 'Kashmir Concert' with Maestro Zubin Mehta and the Bavarian State Orchestra at Shalimar Gardens in Srinagar.

In February 2014, German President Joachim Gauck chose India for his first state visit in Asia.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Modi had a packed schedule, meeting leaders of BRICS, and having one-on-one interactions with leaders from France, Canada and Saudi Arabia.

During his meetings with BRICS leaders, Prime Minister Modi reiterated his priority of repatriating black money deposited by indians in foreign banks, and also underlined the need for fast tracking the establishment of a BRICS development bank.

Prime Minister Modi was accorded a red-carpet welcome by his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott upon his arrival at the Queensland Parliament for the G-20 Summit. He also met with the U.S. President Barack Obama.

After attending the G-20 Summit in Brisbane, Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to travel to Sydney, where he will attend a reception organized by and for the Indian Diaspora.

Prime Minister Modi will then travel to Canberra and address the special joint sitting of the Australian Parliament on November 18. He will also address an Indian community event in Melbourne before travelling to Fiji.