German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) has announced plans to deepen economic and military cooperation between Germany and India during his visit to the country. India is a “preferred partner” for Germany, Merz said on Monday in the Indian city of Ahmedabad at a joint press conference with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a world “increasingly” shaped by great-power politics and undergoing reordering, India and Germany must prepare themselves together, he said.
On economic cooperation, Merz noted that Indians already rank among the “most successful immigrants” in Germany. Around 60,000 people from India are currently studying in Germany, making them the “largest group of foreign students in Germany.” Germany, he said, is paving the way for “legal and orderly migration” from India.
Merz added that bilateral trade has reached a record level of nearly 50 billion dollars. Germany aims to work with India to reduce one-sided dependencies in supply chains and to expand cooperation in future technologies such as artificial intelligence, hydrogen, battery storage, and critical raw materials. The chancellor also spoke in favor of a swift conclusion of a free trade agreement between the European Union and India. EU leaders are expected to visit India later this month, when the agreement could be signed.
On security policy, Merz announced closer cooperation between Germany and India. Both countries plan to expand cooperation in defense and security, including joint air force and naval exercises in the Indo-Pacific and deeper collaboration in the defense industry. Corresponding declarations of intent have been signed. “This also helps ensure that India is less dependent, for example, on Russia,” Merz said, referring to the continued close ties between the two countries, including in the defense sector.
On the second day of his visit, the chancellor planned to travel to Bangalore, India’s industrial and research hub, and to visit a local plant operated by Bosch.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz left for India on Sunday for a visit to bolster economic and security ties between the top EU economy and the Asian population giant. Both Berlin and New Delhi face a turbulent world order and a set of economic and geopolitical challenges from the world's two largest economies, the United States and China. Merz's visit from Monday, his first to an Asian country since he took office last May, comes two weeks ahead of a planned EU-India summit and as India and the bloc are working on a free trade agreement.
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