20 agreements set to be inked during Merkel visit

Around 20 agreements are likely to be inked between India and Germany during the visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday.

Merkel, who will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday as part of the fifth biennial Inter Governmental Consultations (IGC), will be accompanied by several ministers and 13 business leaders.

The agreements are likely to be in the fields of agriculture, green urban mobility, Ayurveda, and Artificial intelligence, among others.

Merkel, who arrives late on Thursday, will hold talks with Prime Minister Modi on Friday along with her ministers in the IGC format, after which the two sides will ink several agreements, likely to be around 20, said German diplomatic sources.

On Saturday, she will visit a big German automobile facility in Gurugram, which has 15 centres across India and employs many people.

She will also visit a metro station along with Prime Minister Modi on Saturday, before leaving for home.

The metro station is equipped with solar panels, which is part of the know how needed to set up smart cities.

On Friday, after the bilateral talks, Merkel will meet with a delegation of "female personalities", such as lawyers, business persons, who have made mark in their respective fields, said German Ambassador Walter J. Lindner, briefing media ahead of the visit.

Merkel will be accompanied by several ministers and state secretaries of her government, as well as a high-powered business delegation.

Under the IGC format, the counterpart ministers from both countries will hold initial discussions in their respective areas of responsibility.

The outcome of these discussions will be reported on at the IGC Co-Chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chancellor Merkel.

The two Leaders will have a separate engagement with CEOs and business leaders of both countries, said an MEA statement.

She will also call on President Ram Nath Kovind.

India and Germany have established a Strategic Partnership that is characterised by a high degree of trust and mutual understanding.

The two Leaders have regularly interacted on the sidelines of multilateral meetings. Germany is a leading trade and investment partner.

During the IGC, the two sides will discuss the deepening of cooperation in traditional sectors such as transport, skill development and energy, and explore possibilities for cooperation in newer areas like green urban mobility, AI, etc.

The two leaders will also exchange views on regional and global matters of mutual interest.IANS