German Chancellor Friedrich Merz began his first official visit to India on January 12, 2026, arriving in Ahmedabad for a two-day engagement until January 13, 2026. Merz, who assumed the chancellorship on May 6, 2025, was invited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with whom he previously met during the G7 Summit in Canada. Upon his arrival, Chancellor Merz was received by Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The visit's itinerary includes a joint visit with PM Modi to the Sabarmati Ashram and participation in the International Kite Festival in Ahmedabad. Bilateral discussions are scheduled to take place at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, focusing on reviewing the progress of the India-Germany Strategic Partnership, which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. Key areas for discussion include intensifying cooperation in trade and investment, technology, education, and mobility. Furthermore, collaboration in defence and security, science, innovation and research, green and sustainable development, and people-to-people ties are high on the agenda. The visit holds considerable importance as Germany seeks to diversify supply chains and strengthen its economic and strategic partnerships amid global geopolitical shifts and ahead of the India-EU Summit on January 27. Credible Indian news outlets like India Today, The Hindu, Mint, and Times of India, alongside international sources and the Ministry of External Affairs, have extensively reported on this high-profile diplomatic engagement.