NEW DELHI: As Europe continues to dominate India’s diplomatic calendar at the start of 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Ahmedabad on Monday, signalling New Delhi’s intent to deepen partnerships with key European powers amid shifting global geopolitics.
Chancellor Merz’s visit, scheduled for January 12–13, is his first official trip to India since taking office eight months ago.
At the invitation of Prime Minister Modi, the German leader will travel to Ahmedabad and Bengaluru, combining high-level political talks with a strong focus on business, skills, technology and people-to-people engagement.
The visit comes against a backdrop of global uncertainty marked by the Trump tariff, ongoing Russia–Ukraine conflict, disrupted supply chains, economic fragmentation and intensifying geopolitical competition. In this environment, India and Europe are increasingly finding overlapping interests, from trade resilience and technology cooperation to mobility and strategic stability.
Prime Minister Modi will formally receive Chancellor Merz in Ahmedabad on Monday, where the two leaders will review progress in the India–Germany Strategic Partnership, which completed 25 years last year.
Discussions are expected to focus on expanding cooperation in trade and investment, technology, education, skilling and mobility, while also advancing collaboration in defence and security, science and innovation, green and sustainable development, and research.
Both leaders will also engage with business and industry representatives and exchange views on regional and global developments. World politics is expected to figure prominently in the talks, given the rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape.
Chancellor Merz’s Ahmedabad programme includes a visit to Sabarmati Ashram, participation in the International Kite Festival, a stop at the Adalaj Stepwell, attendance at a skill development event, and formal talks with Prime Minister Modi at Mahatma Mandir.
On Tuesday, he will travel to Bengaluru, where he is scheduled to visit the Bosch office and the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE), showcasing Germany’s interest in India’s technology and innovation ecosystem.
The visit builds on a broader European push in Indian diplomacy.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar began his first official engagements of 2026 in Europe, with visits to Paris and Luxembourg and participation in the India–Weimar Triangle meeting with France, Germany and Poland.
Jaishankar said Europe was chosen deliberately to kick-start the year, stressed that India–Europe ties were growing and that both sides could contribute to stability in the global economy and international politics.
Economic engagement is a key pillar of the relationship.
India and Germany recorded a combined trade volume of around $50 billion in goods and services last year. According to official data, bilateral trade in goods reached $33.40 billion in 2024, while trade in services rose 15% year-on-year to a record $17.03 billion.
Germany is currently India’s eighth-largest trading partner, while India ranks as Germany’s 23rd-largest.
Investment links are also deepening. Germany is India’s ninth-largest foreign direct investor, with cumulative investments of over $15 billion since 2000.
More than 2,000 German companies operate in India, while around 750 Indian companies have invested in Germany.
Migration and education are emerging as important growth areas. Germany is actively seeking skilled workers, particularly in caregiving, nursing and technical trades, and India has become a major source. Indians are now the largest group of foreign students at German universities, and legal Indian migration to Germany is increasingly seen as a success story.