Germany’s Angela Merkel to discuss economic cooperation talks with India’s leadership

German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives in New Delhi today for a three-day visit, which will include a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Along with an array of discussions aiming to further ties in the areas of defence and security, the two are expected to sign nearly 20 agreements in a wide spectrum of economic areas, outlining a framework of cooperation ahead of the fifth round of Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC) on November 1.

During the IGC, Merkel—accompanied by 12 ministers—will meet with top executives of major Indian companies that are active in Germany. The two sides will discuss the deepening of cooperation in the same areas as the bilateral agreements, covering issues ranging from transport, skill development and energy to cooperation in newer areas like green urban mobility and artificial intelligence.

There are more than 1,700 Germany companies active in India and over 600 Indo-German joint ventures, making further economic cooperation potentially lucrative for both sides. A successful weekend of meetings could give new momentum to the already-strong bilateral ties between India and Germany and could significantly scale up cooperation in several key sectors, including renewable energy, technology, transportation and education.