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. "This agreement is envisioned not just as a trade deal, but as a comprehensive partnership that addresses modern economic realities," India's commerce ministry said on Friday. "One of the main objectives of this trip is to deepen economic relations with India," a German government official said. For Germany's exporters, India and its 1.4 billion inhabitants represent significant opportunities, with a bilateral trade volume of almost €50 billion. "German foreign trade is looking for growth markets, and India is precisely that," said Florian Wenke of the state-run agency Germany Trade & Invest.

Source: The Local January 12, 2026 01:41 UTC