It will be the first state visit by an Indian prime minister to Austria in more than 40 years: the Hindu nationalist was re-elected – albeit with a big defeat, but still Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the Chancellor on Tuesday and Wednesday Karl Nehammer in Vienna. Also an appointment with the Federal President Alexander van der Bellen provided. But before that, Modi prepared the Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin another visit to Moscow.
The fact that Modi chose these two countries for his first state visits since the election is likely a symbol of his usual foreign policy – not taking sides, but seeking to benefit as many people as possible. In both Moscow and Vienna, the focus is likely to be on strengthening economic ties. Austria, for example, wants more skilled workers from India.
