German Chancellor Merkel to visit India in Oct: Steiner

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will visit India in October for an inter-governmental consultation, country's Ambassador to India Michael Steiner today said.
"In October this year, German Chancellor Merkel will come to India with a delegation comprising a number of ministers for inter-governmental consultations with the Indian government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Steiner said on the sidelines of inauguration of a German-based company's plant at Sanand, about 25 km from here.
Both the leaders are likely to discuss issues of skill development of Indian youths, he said.
"Prime Minister Modi said to the German Chancellor, (during his visit to Hanover, Germany, in April), so rightly, that when it comes to skill development, vocational training, Germany is the natural partner for India," Steiner said.

"Why, because we have the unique way of training young people with this dual approach where is not only the state but also the private sectors working together imparting the skills to the young people," he said.
"...Seeing various problems India has in this area (of skill development) and this is the one area, where we can be very successful in working together. We can also give India something it needs probably the most in coming years and that is the skilling of these young people who will join the market in the next years," he said.

"The Prime Minister (Modi), when he was in Hanover, I have seen that personally he brought with him a huge delegation of the economic leaders of India. The German companies realised India has again become very interesting, India is on the move again and this (India) is the place to invest," he said.

"...The sheer presentation of the potential of Indian companies at Hanover has helped to convince German investors to look twice and realise probably now is the time to join those who have given the example in investing and in trust in the potential of this market," Steiner said.
"We have big famous companies as you know which are here in India already. We have more than 1,800 companies in India at present and in Gujarat its already 40 companies. I think we should have more and we will have more companies being present here and taking part in revamp of India," he said.

Steiner was accompanied by his wife Eliese at the event.