Modi meets mayor of Hannover

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday met Steven Schostok, the mayor of the German city of Hannover, as part of his engagements in Germany.

Modi reached City Hall after his meeting with chief executives of German companies at the Maritim Grand Hotel.

Schostok came out of City Hall to greet the prime minister as he stepped out of his car.

In a brief ceremony inside the City Hall, Schostok welcomed Modi to Hannover and thanked him for making India the partner country in this year's Hannover Messe, the world's largest industrial fair.

Speaking in German, the mayor expressed the hope that India and Germany can work together for the mutual benefit of each other.

On his part, the prime minister thanked Schostok for the warm welcome he was accorded and said that he was thankful that the mayor "honoured me in a building which is over 102 years old".

Modi said India is a land of ample opportunities and invited German industries to invest in his country.

The prime minister also signed the Golden Book of the City Hall of Hannover.

Later on Sunday, Modi will inaugurate the Hannover Messe along with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

This will be followed by a dinner hosted by Merkel in honour of the visiting prime minister.

Earlier on Sunday, Modi arrived in Hannover on the second leg of his three-nation tour after a successful visit to France.

On Monday, he and Merkel will inaugurate the India Pavilion at the Hannover Messe.

Following this, he will leave for Berlin where he will visit a science and technology academy and German railway station to take stock of railway modernisation.

The third and last leg of tour will take him to Canada on Tuesday.