VOI World/ Simran Kaur
India is preparing to host German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the third week of January, marking his first official visit to the country since assuming office. The trip comes shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi, signalling India’s effort to balance strategic engagement with both Moscow and Europe. With Modi to host German Chancellor Merz ahead of the India-EU summit scheduled for January 27, the visit is expected to advance negotiations across multiple priority areas.
Officials have indicated that the agenda will include progress on the India-EU free trade agreement (FTA), cooperation on green and sustainable development, resilient supply chains, defence and security coordination, clean energy transition, innovation, and migration and mobility arrangements. The meeting follows discussions between the two leaders on the margins of the G7 summit in Canada, where they agreed to deepen the strategic partnership and review bilateral progress.
Germany remains a key economic and political partner for India in the Indo-Pacific, particularly as Berlin has expressed concern over China’s increasing assertiveness in the region. German leaders have also reiterated that European security is closely linked to the situation in Ukraine, and have maintained strong support for Kyiv. The visit allows both sides to align positions on Ukraine, while keeping diplomatic channels active with Russia.
Analysts note that having Modi to host German Chancellor Merz at this time helps reinforce India’s multi-vector foreign policy approach, where New Delhi engages major powers on separate tracks without allowing one relationship to define the other. On the bilateral front, India and Germany have recently held talks on expanding development cooperation under the Green and Sustainable Development Partnership, reflecting the long-term economic focus of the partnership.
