Overview
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Ahmedabad for his first official India visit from January 12–13 and was received by Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat.
- Merz and Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Sabarmati Ashram and flew kites at the International Kite Festival before delegation-level talks at Mahatma Mandir.
- Both sides will review the India–Germany Strategic Partnership and seek to build on roughly $50–51 billion in recent trade and services flows.
- Defence cooperation features prominently, with a proposed submarine project reported in the €5 billion ($8 billion) range under discussion, though no deal has been officially confirmed.
- Merz travels to Bengaluru on January 13 to visit Bosch and IISc’s Centre for Nano Science and Engineering, alongside engagements with a large German business delegation that includes about 25 CEOs.