Modi calls for ‘lasting peace’ in West Asia

This has been New Delhi’s lasting stand on the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, and the PM has now taken a similar stand on the US-Israel war on Iran.

Echoing PM Modi’s remarks, the Austrian Chancellor said, “We are living in an age of geopolitical upheaval and disruption. Power centres are shifting and new alliances are being created… conflicts are becoming more complex. In these circumstances, India is a reliable partner, and valued by Austria. Together, we represent an international order in which we can live in freedom and security. We are in favour of a rules-based world order and not a world in which might is right.”

This is the second high-level political visit by a European leader since the war in Tehran began on February 28 — the first being in early March when Finland’s President Alexander Stubb visited for the Raisina dialogue. The Austrian Chancellor is visiting India from April 14 to 18, and met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday.

Pressing that the first visit of an Austrian Chancellor to India in over four decades was of “immense significance”, Modi said, “Following the historic India-European Union Free Trade Agreement of 2026, a new golden chapter has begun in the relations between India and the EU. Through Chancellor Stocker’s visit, we are now ushering India-Austria relations into a new era as well.”

Reiterating New Delhi and Vienna’s stand on terrorism and UNSC reforms, Modi said, “We also share the view that the reform of global institutions is imperative to address the growing global challenges. Furthermore, eradicating terrorism at its roots remains our shared commitment.”

The two sides also signed various pacts, including on military, counter-terrorism and skills development. They also announced setting up a fast-track mechanism to help identify and solve problems faced by Indian and Austrian companies and investors. Besides, they also renewed a pact on technical cooperation in road infrastructure, intelligent transport systems, road safety, and electronic toll collection.

Modi said, “India and Austria have been trusted partners in the fields of infrastructure, innovation, and sustainability. Be it the Delhi Metro or the Atal Tunnel — constructed at an altitude of 10,000 feet in the Himalayas — Austria’s expertise in tunneling has left a strong imprint. Ranging from railway projects to Gujarat’s Girnar Ropeway, and from clean energy to urban development, Austrian companies have been active partners in numerous engineering projects across India.”

The PM said he was “delighted” that Stocker arrived in India with “a grand vision and a large business delegation”. He added that the two sides will also strengthen their partnership in the sectors of defense, semiconductors, quantum computing, and biotechnology.

Stocker noted that India was among the biggest trading partners of Austria outside Europe, with bilateral trade touching $3 billion.

Other initiatives include launching of India-Austria Startup Bridge to increase cooperation of startup ecosystems; Cybersecurity Dialogue and Bilateral Dialogue on Cooperation in Education to enhance skills development; Joint Committee of Science and Technology to identify collaborative R&D projects in material science, quantum technology, wastewater treatment, machine learning, lasers, etc; and Focus India initiative to deepen educational and research cooperation between leading technical universities in Austria and India, and a dedicated portal for admission of Indian students to engineering and technical masters programmes in Austria.

PM Modi also hailed an MoU signed Thursday between IIT Delhi and Austria’s Montanuniversität as a “shining example of this knowledge exchange”.

The two sides also committed to collaborate in the nursing sector, and launched the India-Austria Working Holiday Programme to promote youth exchange.

They also decided to forge a partnership between India’s Centre for UN Peacekeeping and Austrian Armed Forces International Centre. Besides, the two leaders agreed to jointly organise a bilateral space industry seminar in Vienna in Autumn 2026.