Modi, German Chancellor Visit India, Kite Festival

New Delhi, Jan 6 (PTI) German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, along with Prime Minister Modi, will visit the iconic Sabarmati Ashram and participate in the International Kite Festival at the riverfront there during his two-day visit to India beginning January 12, sources said on Tuesday.

The visit is aimed at strengthening defence cooperation between the two countries, they said.

This will be Chancellor Merz's first official visit to India and his inaugural trip to Asia since taking office.

Sources told PTI that the two leaders will pay homage at Sabarmati Ashram on Monday morning. They will then join the ongoing Uttarayan celebrations by participating in the Kite Festival at the Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad.

"German Chancellor's visit holds high significance as it is being held ahead of the Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC), scheduled to be held in Germany later this year," sources noted.


Delegation-level talks will be held at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, followed by a joint press statement. Chancellor Merz is also likely to visit GIFT City, where German investments, including Deutsche Bank's operations, are expanding.

Defence ties will take centre-stage, with sources indicating major discussions expected in this domain. Germany has removed around 110 out of 130 defence items from its export control list, paving the way for deeper collaboration with India.

However, sources underlined that a submarine deal for the Indian Navy is unlikely during this visit.

"Defence cooperation has reached a new level of trust, with Germany's export control relaxations enabling significant progress," a senior official said on condition of anonymity.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the discussions will also cover trade, investment, technology, education, mobility, innovation and green development.

The visit, including a leg in Bengaluru, comes outside the regular Inter-Governmental Consultations framework, highlighting its priority.