New Delhi, Feb 20 (Agency) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will pay a State visit to India on February 25-26, in his maiden visit to India in his current role. Chancellor Scholz will be accompanied by senior officials and a high-powered business delegation. He is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi on February 25 and will proceed to Bengaluru the following day, a statement said.
This is the first standalone visit of a German Chancellor to India since the biennial Inter-Governmental Consultation (IGC) mechanism commenced in 2011, which is a whole-of-government framework under which Ministers from both countries hold discussions in their respective areas of responsibility and report on the outcome of discussions to the Prime Minister and Chancellor. Chancellor Scholz will be accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhawan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chancellor Scholz will hold discussions on bilateral, regional and global issues. The two Leaders will also interact with CEOs and business leaders of both sides. Chancellor Scholz will also call on the President Droupadi Murmu. The India-Germany Strategic Partnership is underpinned by shared values, trust and mutual understanding. Robust investment and trade linkages, cooperation in the areas of green and sustainable development and growing people-to-people ties have strengthened bilateral relations. India and Germany also work closely at multilateral and international platforms, notably as part of the G4 for UNSC reforms. Chancellor Scholz’s visit will enable both sides to take stock and progress on the key outcomes of the 6th IGC, strengthen security and defence cooperation, work towards closer economic ties, enhance opportunity for mobility of talent and give strategic guidance to ongoing collaboration in Science & Technology, the statement said.
In November last year, the two leaders had met on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Bali. The two leaders first met during PM Modi’s visit to Berlin on May 2 last year for the 6th India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC). This was followed by PM Modi’s visit to Schloss Elmau in Germany, as partner country for the G7 Summit at Chancellor Scholz’s invitation.