German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived in New Delhi On Thursday night and will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi today; nearly 20 agreements are expected to be inked between India and Germany.

Chancellor Merkel was given a ceremonial welcome today at the Rashtrapati Bhavan where PM Modi received her. She then went to Rajghat to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial.

Tribute to our father of the Nation #German Chancellor Angela Merkel offered a wreath at Bapu’s samadhi at #Rajghat. pic.twitter.com/A745MXtP3I

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— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) November 1, 2019

She arrived in New Delhi on Thursday night on a two-day visit and was received at the airport by Minister of State in the PMO, Jitendra Singh. She is accompanied by around 12 ministers and 13 business leaders for the IGC consultations.

Today’s meeting with PM Modi will also be their fifth meeting within a year. The meeting will be 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.

“Enriching the strategic texture of our relationship. German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived in Delhi beginning her State visit to India during which she, along with PM @narendramodi Awill co-chair the 5th IGC. This would be the 5th meeting between the leaders within a year,” MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

Enriching the strategic texture of our relationship.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived in Delhi beginning her State visit to India during which she, along with PM @narendramodi will co-chair the 5th 🇮🇳- 🇩🇪 IGC.This would be the 5th meeting between the leaders within a year pic.twitter.com/Ie1lfafGf6

— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) October 31, 2019

She will co-chair the fifth India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC) in the capital. According to Foreign Ministry both leaders will have a separate engagement with CEOs and business leaders of both countries.
The agreements to be inked between the two sides are to be in the fields of agriculture, green urban mobility, ayurveda, Artificial Intelligence, and civil aviation, among others.

She will call on President Ram Nath Kovind in the evening and will later hold talks with the Prime Minister at his residence.

News agency PTI reported that when asked if Kashmir issue will be discussed between PM Modi and Chancellor Merkel, German envoy Walter J Lindner said the two leaders have a “very good relationship and they can talk about any issue”.

Tomorrow, Merkel will meet a Business Delegation at the Taj Mahal hotel. She will then visit the Continental Automotive Components India Pvt Ltd facility in IMT Manesar, Gurgaon. She will also visit a metro station in Dwarka, before leaving for Germany.