Apart from high-level diplomatic engagements with the visiting foreign dignitary, the Prime Minister’s Gujarat visit includes a symbolic revisit to the historic ‘Sack of Somnath’ of 1026, marking nearly a thousand years since the event.
File Photo: IANS
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is once again set to showcase his distinct diplomatic style – taking global engagement beyond New Delhi to other parts of India – when he hosts German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during the latter’s first official visit to the country. This time, the three-day visit to the Prime Minister’s home state of Gujarat also carries an element of Hindutva outreach.
Apart from high-level diplomatic engagements with the visiting foreign dignitary, the Prime Minister’s Gujarat visit includes a symbolic revisit to the historic ‘Sack of Somnath’ of 1026, marking nearly a thousand years since the event.
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On January 11, the Prime Minister will offer prayers at the historic Somnath temple and lead the ‘Shaurya Yatra’—a one-kilometre road show featuring 108 horses—as part of the ‘Somnath Swabhiman Parv’, commemorating the ancient temple and its history.
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The German Chancellor’s visit on January 12–13 comes amid global economic and geopolitical challenges and will see the Prime Minister blending high-level diplomacy with culture, commerce and regional outreach.
PM Modi and Chancellor Merz will hold bilateral talks and engage with business leaders to explore opportunities in advanced manufacturing and renewable energy. The two leaders will also visit the Sabarmati Ashram, where Mahatma Gandhi lived during the freedom struggle, and participate in the International Kite Festival at the Sabarmati Riverfront.
This is not the first time PM Modi has hosted world leaders outside the national capital. In fact, it has become a key feature of his foreign policy—aligning international engagement with domestic development and regional promotion.
From Chinese President Xi Jinping’s engagements at Varanasi and Mahabalipuram to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s participation in high-profile events, and the ‘Namaste Trump’ programme in Ahmedabad, the Prime Minister has, over the years, welcomed world leaders across India—turning cities into platforms for diplomacy and showcases of local culture.
Home state Gujarat has been one of his preferred locations for hosting such events. “Gujarat fits well into the Prime Minister’s unique style of hosting global leaders beyond New Delhi due to its vibrant economy and rich culture. Venues in Ahmedabad are ideal for bilateral talks and business interactions, which can be paired with colourful cultural festivals,” say those familiar with the state.
Meanwhile, according to the BJP, the year-long celebrations being organised at the Lord Shiva temple located on the Arabian Sea coast in the Saurashtra region symbolise the resilience of Hindus against historical invasions. The saffron party is projecting the event as proof of the country’s civilizational endurance and highlighting what it describes as resistance by first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to the temple’s reconstruction.
Gujarat is scheduled to go to the polls in 2027.
One of the 12 Jyotirlingas, Somnath faced repeated destruction, most notably by Mahmud of Ghazni, who plundered the revered temple, destroyed the Shiva Lingam and looted its immense wealth. Rebuilt multiple times, its post-Independence reconstruction in 1951 has once again become a contentious political issue, with the ruling BJP accusing Nehru—underscoring the party’s broader narrative of what it calls the “Congress’ neglect of Hindu heritage.”
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