Prime Minister Narendra Modi held delegation-level talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Ahmedabad, marking the Chancellor’s first official visit to India. The two-day visit coincides with the celebrations of 75 years of diplomatic relations and 25 years of the India-Germany Strategic Partnership, aiming to further strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations.

The meeting at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar was attended by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. Discussions focused on enhancing cooperation across trade, investment, technology, education, skilling, and mobility, while also exploring collaboration in defense, security, science, innovation, research, and sustainable development.

Prior to the talks, PM Modi welcomed Chancellor Merz to Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, where they paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi, with Merz also signing the visitors’ book. The leaders then jointly inaugurated the International Kite Festival 2026 at the Sabarmati Riverfront, highlighting the cultural and diplomatic significance of the visit, and flew a kite featuring Lord Hanuman.

The German Chancellor’s visit, from January 12 to 13, builds on prior high-level engagements, including discussions with PM Modi on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada, where both leaders agreed to further expand the bilateral strategic partnership. During that meeting, PM Modi invited Chancellor Merz to visit India officially. On January 13, Chancellor Merz will visit Bosch, Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE), before departing for Germany. The visit also serves as a precursor to the India-EU Summit scheduled for January 27.