By Ahmad Adil
NEW DELHI (AA) - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in India on Monday for an official visit, officials said.
Merz arrived in the western city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state and is due to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi later on Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said on X.
“India and Germany are celebrating 75 years of India-Germany diplomatic ties and 25 years of the India-Germany strategic partnership,” he said, adding that meeting with Modi on Monday, “will further strengthen India-Germany partnership.”
It is Chancellor Merz’s first official visit to India from January 12-13, according to an Ministry of External Affairs statement issued earlier.
The two-day visit is Merz’s first official trip to India.
Talks will focus on boosting cooperation in trade and investment, technology, education, skills and mobility, as well as expanding collaboration in defense and security, the statement said.