At the International Kite Festival organised at the Sabarmati Riverfront Prime Minister Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Monday flew kites.
The two leaders attended the International Kite Festival, with visuals spotting them interacting with participants and joining the colourful celebrations that drew kite enthusiasts from India and abroad.
Organised afore Makar Sankranti, the three-day International Kite Festival concludes on January 14 and features 135 international kite flyers from 50 countries, along with 65 participants from across India and 871 local flyers from Gujarat.
Earlier, PM Modi heartily welcomed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad afore the the festival’s inauguration.
Merz landed in India on Sunday for a two-day official visit from January 12 to 13, his first since assuming office.
The two leaders are scheduled to engage in bilateral talks from 11.15 am at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, where they will review progress in the India–Germany Strategic Partnership, which recently marked its 25th anniversary.
The discussions will showcase on strengthening cooperation in trade and investment, technology, education, skilling and mobility, as well as advancing collaboration in defence and security, science, innovation and research, green and sustainable development, and people-to-people ties.
Reportedly Modi and Merz will also exchange views on regional and global issues and engage with business and industry leaders from both countries.
Meanwhile the visit is expected to build on ongoing high-level political engagement and reaffirm a shared commitment to a forward-looking partnership. On January 13, Chancellor Merz will visit Bosch and the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE) before jetting-off for Germany.
PM Modi and Merz last held talks on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada, where they agreed to further expand the bilateral strategic partnership. The visit also comes ahead of the India–EU Summit scheduled for January 27.
News Edit KV Raman
