Modi may meet Merkel on way to BRICS summit

New Delhi, July 3 (IANS) A meeting may take place between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel during his halt in Germany on way to Brazil for the BRICS summit this month.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said that it was normal to have a transit halt during a trans-Atlantic journey and in previous instances also these transit halts have been in Germany.

"A transit halt is what is being planned for and that's where we are. If in the context of the transit halt, there is a request for any further interaction, at this stage that has not been decided upon," he said in response to queries about a meeting with the German leader.

He said that dates of transit halt had not been decided.

"My understanding is that it is nearer to July 14 than to what is being reported," he said.

Modi will attend the summit of the BRICS countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - July 15-17 in the Brazilian city of Fortaleza.

Germany was among the countries to reach out to Modi as his status grew within the BJP after he led the party to its third successive victory in the Gujarat assembly elections in 2012.

Germany is India's biggest trading partner in Europe, its fifth biggest trading partner in the world, eighth largest source of FDI and second most important partner in terms of technological collaborations.