Modi urges Germany to invest in India

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-34451370

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India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged German companies to invest in India, on the concluding day of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit.

Mr Modi said his government had "worked aggressively" to make India an easy place to do business.

Germany has already pledged more than 1bn euros ($1.12bn; £74m) to India to develop solar projects.

Mr Modi has launched the "Make in India" campaign to boost manufacturing at home and create millions of jobs.

On Tuesday, Chancellor Merkel and Mr Modi toured a German engineering factory in India's technology hub of Bangalore.

Mr Modi called on German firms to invest in Asia's third largest economy to provide jobs for millions of young people.

He said his government was determined to turn India into a manufacturing hub, saying it had fast-tracked clearances for foreign companies to set up businesses.

"One of the biggest challenges in India today is to productively employ our youth," Mr Modi told a meeting of business leaders.

The two leaders held talks in Delhi on Monday during Ms Merkel's first visit to India since Mr Modi's party stormed to power in May last year promising to reform and revive the economy.

The two leaders also discussed terrorism, defence, arms cooperation and the stalled free trade agreement negotiations between India and the European Union which, if implemented, will boost bilateral commerce.