New Delhi, Jan 9 (NationPress) Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany is set to embark on a two-day official visit to India starting January 12, at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

During his visit, Merz will engage in discussions with PM Modi in Ahmedabad and will also take part in the International Kite Festival at the Sabarmati Riverfront.

Following this, the leaders will convene for bilateral meetings at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, as per the statement from the Prime Minister's Office. This marks Chancellor Merz's inaugural official visit to India.

According to the Prime Minister's Office, "The two leaders will assess the advancements made in the India-Germany Strategic Partnership, which recently celebrated 25 years. Their discussions will also aim at enhancing cooperation in trade and investment, technology, education, skilling and mobility, while promoting collaboration in significant areas such as defence and security, science, innovation and research, green and sustainable development, and people-to-people relations."

Additionally, the two leaders will share insights on regional and global issues and will interact with business and industry representatives from both countries.

Prior to Chancellor Merz's visit, German Ambassador to India, Philipp Ackermann, met with Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh on Thursday to deliberate on bilateral security and defence matters, including priority sectors for co-development and co-production of defence equipment.

The Directorate of Public Relations from the Ministry of Defence reported, "German Ambassador Dr. Philipp Ackermann visited Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh today. The Ambassador extended new year greetings to the Defence Secretary on behalf of the German side. They also talked about various bilateral security and defence topics, including areas prioritized for co-development and co-production of defence equipment."

In November, PM Modi and Chancellor Merz interacted during the G20 Summit in South Africa, where Modi characterized the India-Germany relationship as robust and evolving in critical sectors like trade, technology, and innovation.

In a brief post on X, the Prime Minister highlighted the increasing strategic and economic collaboration between the two nations.

"It was great to meet German Chancellor, Mr. Friedrich Merz. India's ties with Germany are strong, particularly in areas such as trade, technology, innovation and beyond," PM Modi shared on X.

PM Modi and Merz also had a meeting during the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada, in June of last year. This was their first encounter since Chancellor Merz took office in May 2025.

Germany stands as one of India's leading trading partners within the European Union and is a significant source of investment, engineering expertise, and advanced technology.