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Modi Shares Car Ride with German Chancellor Merz, Deepening Bilateral Ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz shared a car ride in Gujarat, highlighting the warm personal ties between the leaders. The gesture came during Merz's two-day official visit, which coincides with celebrations marking 75 years of India-Germany diplomatic relations. The leaders held delegation-level talks focusing on cooperation in trade, technology, defence, and climate action. The visit also featured cultural engagements, including participation in the International Kite Festival in Ahmedabad.

Key Points: PM Modi, German Chancellor Merz Car Ride Highlights India-Germany Partnership

  • Car ride symbolizes personal rapport
  • Visit marks 75 years of diplomatic relations
  • Talks covered trade, tech, and defence
  • Included cultural events like kite festival
  • Builds on India-Germany Strategic Partnership
2 min read

PM Modi shares car ride with German Chancellor Merz, highlighting growing India-Germany ties

PM Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz share a car ride in Gujarat, symbolizing growing strategic ties and personal rapport during Merz's official visit.

"The friendship between India and Germany continues to grow through shared values, extensive cooperation and mutual understanding. - Prime Minister Narendra Modi"

Gandhinagar, January 12

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who is on a two-day official visit to India, on Monday shared a car ride following their engagements in Gujarat, reflecting the warm and friendly ties between the two leaders and the growing partnership between the two countries.

PM Modi posted a photo on X of himself and Merz inside the car after their meetings to underscore the strength of bilateral relations.

"The friendship between India and Germany continues to grow through shared values, extensive cooperation and mutual understanding," the Prime Minister said in his post.

Earlier today, PM Modi and the German chancellor rode in an open vehicle along the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad and also tried their hands at flying kites. PM Modi had inaugurated the International Kite Festival-2026, organised by the Gujarat government.

In December last year, PM Modi broke with protocol to receive Russian President Vladimir Putin at the airport during the latter's visit, and both shared a car ride to the Prime Minister's residence at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg.

Meanwhile, the interaction with the German Chancellor took place during Merz's first official visit to India, which coincided with celebrations marking 75 years of diplomatic relations and 25 years of the India-Germany Strategic Partnership. The visit had also featured high-level talks, cultural engagements and joint participation in events such as the International Kite Festival 2026 in Ahmedabad.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi and Chancellor Merz held delegation-level talks to discuss cooperation across key areas, including trade and investment, technology, education, defence, climate action, and people-to-people ties.

The shared car ride and PM Modi's remarks on social media were seen as symbolising the personal rapport between the two leaders and the deepening ties between India and Germany.

The German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is currently on a two-day official visit to India, marking the first such visit since assuming office.

The visit is expected to build on momentum from regular high-level political interactions and provide an opportunity to reaffirm India and Germany's shared vision to develop a forward-looking partnership for the benefit of both countries and the wider global community.

The German Chancellor is in India from January 12 to January 13. On January 13, Merz will visit Bosch, then Nano Science and Engineering, CeNSE, and depart for Germany.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
It's heartening to see such warm engagements. The kite festival was a beautiful cultural showcase. Hoping these strong personal equations translate into concrete outcomes on climate action and green energy partnerships, which both countries need.
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Vikram M
While the optics are good, I hope the talks on defence and technology yield real results. We need Germany to be a reliable partner in critical areas, not just photo-ops. The proof will be in the pudding—let's see the actual deals signed.
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Priya S
Love the cultural integration! Taking him to the Sabarmati Riverfront and the kite festival is such a smart way to show the real, vibrant India beyond just boardrooms. This is how you build lasting people-to-people connections. 👏
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Rohit P
Germany is a key EU nation. Strengthening this partnership is crucial for balancing our foreign policy. The car ride protocol, similar to what was done for Putin, shows India's strategic importance. Good move for our global standing.
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Michael C
As someone working in the renewable sector, I'm particularly interested in the climate action discussions. Germany's expertise combined with India's scale can be a game-changer. Hope this visit fast-tracks some of those collaborations.

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