German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to visit India from January 12-13

New Delhi [India], January 5 : German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will pay an official visit to India from January 12 to 13, at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Monday.
This will be Chancellor Friedrich Merz's first official visit to India. During the visit, he will travel to Ahmedabad and Bengaluru.
Prime Minister Modi will receive Chancellor Friedrich Merz on January 12 in Ahmedabad. The two leaders will review progress across various areas of the India-Germany Strategic Partnership, which completed 25 years last year.
Discussions will focus on further strengthening cooperation in trade and investment, technology, education, skilling and mobility, while also advancing collaboration in defence and security, science, innovation and research, green and sustainable development, and people-to-people ties, the MEA said.
Prime Minister Modi and Chancellor Friedrich Merz will also engage with business and industry leaders and exchange views on issues of regional and global importance.
The visit is expected to build on the momentum generated by regular high-level political interactions and provide an opportunity to reaffirm the shared vision of India and Germany to develop a forward-looking partnership for the benefit of both countries and the wider global community.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chancellor Merz last held discussions on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada, where the two leaders agreed to further broaden the bilateral strategic partnership.
During that interaction, Prime Minister Modi extended an invitation to the German Chancellor for an official visit to New Delhi.
The visit is also taking place in the lead-up to the India-EU Summit scheduled for January 27.