Germany’s new Chancellor Friedrich Merz has used his first official visit to India to signal that Berlin now sees New Delhi as a central partner for trade, technology and security in an increasingly fractured world order. Spread over two days in Ahmedabad and Bengaluru, the visit has combined high symbolism with a dense agenda on defence, green transition, mobility and a long‑pending India–EU trade deal.
Merz’s 12–13 January trip was his first official visit to India and also his first to Asia as Chancellor, underlining the priority Germany attaches to ties with New Delhi. The visit comes as India and Germany mark 25 years of their Strategic Partnership in 2025 and 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2026, giving both sides a natural moment to recalibrate ambitions.
For Berlin, the timing is also shaped by pressure to diversify away from Russia and China, navigate US tariffs, and secure new markets and supply chains in the Indo‑Pacific. For New Delhi, Merz’s arrival so soon after other major‑power leaders reinforces India’s positioning as a sought‑after partner amid multiple global crises, from Ukraine and Gaza to climate and energy security.
Symbolism in Ahmedabad
Prime Minister Narendra Modi received Merz in Ahmedabad, where the programme blended political signalling with cultural outreach. The two leaders visited Sabarmati Ashram and participated together in the International Kite Festival on the Sabarmati riverfront, an optic meant to root the partnership in Gandhi’s legacy and people‑to‑people ties rather than just high diplomacy.
Bilateral talks and press statements at Gandhinagar’s Mahatma Mandir provided the formal backdrop for announcements on trade, defence and technology. Stops at heritage sites such as Adalaj Stepwell and Dandi Kutir further reinforced a narrative of historical continuity, even as both governments emphasised that the relationship is being re‑tooled for a more contested Indo‑Pacific.
Trade, FTA and business push
Economics was the central pillar of the visit, with Merz accompanied by a high‑powered delegation of 23 German CEOs and industry leaders. Both leaders noted that Germany already accounts for over a quarter of India’s trade with the EU and that bilateral trade has hit record highs since 2024, strengthening the case for a more ambitious agenda.
The clearest signal was political backing for the long‑pending India–EU Free Trade Agreement, with Merz suggesting a deal could be concluded by the end of January and both sides calling it a key outcome of the upcoming EU–India summit. New Delhi and Berlin also welcomed a new Joint Declaration of Intent to strengthen economic cooperation through a German‑Indian CEO Forum, pitched as a permanent channel to deepen investment, technology partnerships and resilient supply chains.
Security and defence industry cooperation received unusually prominent attention for a German leader’s India visit. Modi and Merz backed expanded military‑to‑military engagement through joint exercises and senior‑level exchanges, and endorsed a new roadmap for defence‑industrial cooperation focused on long‑term technology partnerships and co‑development of equipment in India.
Reports in German and Indian media highlighted discussions on a multi‑billion‑euro project to jointly build submarines in India, aligning Germany’s defence export push with India’s Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat priorities. Beyond defence, the two sides signed or exchanged 19 MoUs and eight major announcements across clean energy, digital technology and innovation, framed as tools to advance green and sustainable development.
People‑centric measures were another notable highlight, with India publicly welcoming Germany’s decision to allow visa‑free transit for Indian passport holders, expected to ease travel and business connectivity via German hubs. New agreements on higher education, skilling, renewable‑energy training, sports cooperation, maritime heritage and youth exchanges were showcased as investments in the next generation of the partnership.
On regional issues, Modi and Merz discussed Ukraine and Gaza, jointly stressing respect for international law, humanitarian access and negotiated settlements, while also calling for faster climate action and more climate finance for developing countries. The visit will now feed into the next round of India–Germany Inter‑Governmental Consultations to be held in Germany later this year, which both leaders have tasked with translating this political signalling into an operational roadmap for the strategic partnership’s “next phase”.
