AHMEDABAD : India and Germany on Monday unveiled measures to boost cooperation in areas of defence, trade, critical minerals and semiconductors, with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Chancellor Friedrich Merz vowing to bolster overall bilateral ties to jointly navigate challenges arising out of geopolitical upheaval.

Following talks between Modi and Merz, the two sides inked 19 pacts, including a roadmap for defence industrial collaboration and another on expanding cooperation in the higher education sector. A separate pact was inked on engagement in the telecommunications sector.

The two leaders also pitched for early finalisation of the India-European Union (EU) free trade agreement to expand the overall trade basket. A visa-free transit for Indian passport holders for transiting through Germany was also announced to boost people-to-people ties.

The German leader, accompanied by a large business delegation, landed in Ahmedabad early this morning on a two-day visit to India. It is his first trip to Asia as the German Chancellor. “The growing cooperation in defence and security is a symbol of our mutual trust and shared vision. I express my heartfelt gratitude to Chancellor Merz for simplifying the processes related to defence trade,” Modi said in his media statement.

“We will also work on a roadmap to enhance cooperation between our defence industries, which will open up new opportunities for co-development and co-production,” he added. In the talks, Modi and Merz reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, respect for international law including UNCLOS (UN Convention on the Law of the Sea), and announced a new bilateral Indo-Pacific consultation mechanism. The move comes amid China’s increasing military muscle-flexing in the region.

Modi and Merz also reaffirmed their strong support for the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), emphasising its transformational potential in reshaping and promoting global commerce, connectivity and prosperity.