German Chancellor Friedrich Merz ’s first visit to Asia has raised India ’s hopes for a long-awaited trade pact with the European Union as Berlin pushes for deeper engagement with South Asia amid heightened global tensions.
Merz began his two-day visit to India on Monday by paying homage to India’s founding father Mahatma Gandhi at his ashram, or place of meditation, in Ahmedabad before joining counterpart Narendra Modi at a traditional kite festival, where the two flew kites together from an open-top vehicle.
Following the leaders’ meeting, both sides announced a raft of agreements and joint declarations aimed at boosting bilateral trade, which hit US$51 billion last year, and enhancing defence cooperation. Merz also vowed to help expedite a free-trade agreement between India and the EU .
Also announced were visa-free transit for Indian passport holders and a new framework for recruiting Indian healthcare workers in Germany , a key demand from India.
India’s foreign secretary Vikram Misri told reporters on Monday that the German leader “remarked on the changing world order, the instability that [the] global order is facing, and why in this context it is ever more important for India and Germany to take their relationship to a new level and to do much more”.
Merz also placed particular emphasis on “Germany’s very strong support for the early conclusion of the India-EU meeting”, Misri said.
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