India and Germany are expected to sign nearly 20 agreements in different fields during the coming visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel to New Delhi 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 about a dozen of her ministers as well as a strong business delegation.

The accords will be in areas like agriculture, green urban mobility, Ayurveda and artificial intelligence, among others, sources said.

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 the agreements.

Asked if the situation in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution would also figure during talks between Chancellor Merkel and PM Modi, diplomatic sources said: “The two leaders have a very good relationship and you can trust that they can talk about any issue they put on the table.”

After the bilateral talks, Merkel will meet with a delegation of “female personalities”, such as lawyers, business persons, who have made a mark in their respective fields.

On Saturday, the German leader 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.

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 Modi and Merkel.

The two leaders will have a separate engagement with CEOs and business leaders of both countries. Merkel 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. They will also exchange views on regional and global matters of mutual interest.