German Chancellor Merz Concludes India Visit, Bolstering Bilateral Ties

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz concludes his two-day visit to India after high-level talks with PM Modi in Gujarat. The visit focused on boosting trade and investment, with Merz calling for the conclusion of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement.

Federal Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz concluded his two-day official visit to India on Tuesday, following a series of high-level engagements aimed at strengthening India-Germany ties. According to a press release from the Gujarat CMO, Chancellor Merz participated in several cultural and strategic programmes alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Gujarat and attended the India-German CEO Forum, which focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, and innovation.

Following his engagements, Chancellor Merz departed from Ahmedabad Airport for Germany, where he received a warm farewell from Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, and other senior dignitaries. Several top officials were present at the airport, including Chief Secretary MK Das, Additional Chief Secretary of the General Administration Department Anju Sharma, Ahmedabad City Police Commissioner GS Malik, Chief Protocol Officer Jwalant Trivedi, District Collector Sujeet Kumar, and senior officials from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the release stated.

Strengthening Cultural and Diplomatic Ties

Moments after his arrival on early Monday, Chancellor Merz met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and inaugurated the 'International Kite Festival (IKF) 2026' at the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad. The two leaders inaugurated the festival by flying kites, symbolising the strong diplomatic relations and friendship between India and Germany. Prior to this, both leaders visited the Sabarmati Ashram, where they gave floral tributes to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi.

Call for India-EU Free Trade Agreement

During his joint Press Conference with PM Modi, Merz said that concluding the negotiation of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union is essential to unlocking the full potential of India-Germany economic relations, while describing India as a "desired partner" and a "partner of choice" for Berlin. Speaking in Gandhinagar, Merz said, "To tap into the full potential of India-Germany economic relations, we need to conclude the negotiations on a free trade agreement between India and the European Union."

This was the German Chancellor's first official visit to India, which coincided with celebrations marking 75 years of diplomatic relations and 25 years of the India-Germany Strategic Partnership. (ANI)

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