See Germany as partner in developing Indians' skills: Modi

India considers Germany as its preferred partner in developing skills of young Indians, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, adding his visit and India's participation at the Hannover Messe was aimed at "realising the immense possibilities that exist between us".

In an Op-Ed piece in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Modi said on Monday: "My visit to Germany and India's participation at the Hannover Messe as a partner country is aimed at realising the immense possibilities that exist between us (India and Germany)."

The prime minister, who is on a two-day official visit to Germany, said in his discussions with Chancellor Angela Merkel and with captains of German industry, "I intend to share our sense of optimism and confidence in our future plans".

"I will also listen carefully to learn what more we can do to address concerns of German entrepreneurs with regard to investment and manufacturing in India," he said.

Modi said: "We also want to learn from Germany's path-breaking experiences in renewable energy. We wish to replicate your success in solar roof-top projects and off-grid solar and wind power solutions, as well as your expertise in grid integration and management."

He said India's smart city projects can utilise German technologies to achieve water, waste, and urban development objectives.

"We admire Germany's achievements in the application of technology solutions to meet environmental challenges. You are also our natural ally in my government's 'Clean India' initiative," he said.

"We also want to benefit from Germany's experience in cleaning the river Ganga. We invite your transport companies, including your railways, to assist us in the modernisation of our transport networks. Your logistics and infrastructure companies can contribute to ongoing development of industrial corridors in India."