India–Germany Partnership Gets New Lift As PM Modi, Chancellor Merz Sign Defence And Tech Deals
A Critical Minerals and Semiconductor Intent Agreement and a Declaration of Intent on Defence Industrial Cooperation were signed by India and Germany.
India and Germany moved to significantly deepen their strategic and economic partnership on Monday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz oversaw the signing of two key agreements covering critical minerals, semiconductors and defence industrial cooperation.
A Critical Minerals and Semiconductor Intent Agreement and a Declaration of Intent on Defence Industrial Cooperation were signed at the start of the joint statement event, underlining the two countries’ push to strengthen technology, manufacturing and security linkages.
Prime Minister Modi said the expanding cooperation in defence and security reflected the “mutual trust and shared vision” between the two democracies and thanked Chancellor Merz for simplifying defence trade procedures. He also said India and Germany share common priorities in renewable energy and announced the creation of an India–Germany Centre of Excellence to further boost cooperation in this area.
The meeting comes at a symbolic moment for bilateral ties. Modi noted that India and Germany will mark 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2026, while having completed 25 years of strategic partnership last year. He said these milestones reflect the depth of trust and ambition between the two sides.
“Growing trade and investment ties have given new energy to our strategic partnership,” Modi said, adding that bilateral trade has reached a record high, now exceeding $50 billion.
Chancellor Merz, who is in India for a two-day visit to strengthen economic and security ties, said cooperation between India and Germany was vital in a world facing growing geopolitical and economic uncertainty, particularly from the United States and China, the world’s two largest economies.
Speaking on global developments, Merz also strongly condemned Iran’s use of “disproportionate and brutal violence” against protesters, calling it “a sign of weakness” and demanding that the violence end.
Merz’s India visit is his first trip to Asia since taking office last May and comes two weeks ahead of a planned EU–India summit, as negotiations continue on a free trade agreement between India and the European Union. Modi is hosting Merz in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, before the German leader travels to Bengaluru, India’s technology hub.
During the visit, the two leaders attended a traditional kite festival and visited the Sabarmati Ashram, where Mahatma Gandhi lived during India’s freedom struggle. A German government spokesman said Merz choosing India for his first Asian trip “demonstrates how India, the world’s largest democracy, is an important strategic partner for Germany.”
