Overview
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Ahmedabad on January 12 for a visit to Sabarmati Ashram, participation in the International Kite Festival, and formal talks at Mahatma Mandir.
- Merz travels to Bengaluru on January 13 to visit Bosch’s campus and the Indian Institute of Science’s Centre for Nano Science and Engineering.
- The Chancellor is accompanied by a delegation that includes about 25 German CEOs, reflecting a push to deepen commercial links and investment.
- Talks will review the strategic partnership and target expanded cooperation across trade, technology, education and skilling, mobility, defence and security, and green development, with recent trade around $50 billion.
- Officials expect a joint declaration to launch a defence cooperation roadmap, while a reported $8 billion submarine proposal remains under negotiation and is not slated to be concluded during this visit.