Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Monday participated in the International Kite Festival 2026 at Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati Riverfront, adding a cultural dimension to the German leader’s first official visit to India.
The two leaders were seen flying a kite featuring an image of Lord Hanuman as they jointly inaugurated the festival, interacting with participants and observing kite flyers from India and abroad. The event, held ahead of Makar Sankranti, is among Gujarat’s most prominent annual cultural celebrations.
International Kite Festival draws global participation
The International Kite Festival will be held over three days and conclude on January 14. According to organisers, this year’s edition has attracted 135 international kite flyers from 50 countries, along with 65 participants from across India and 871 local flyers from Gujarat.
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Visuals from the Sabarmati Riverfront showed the Prime Minister and the German Chancellor engaging with kite flyers amid the festive atmosphere, highlighting the use of cultural events as part of diplomatic engagements.
Tribute at Sabarmati Ashram precedes festival visit
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi welcomed Chancellor Merz at the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad. Both leaders paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi, and the German Chancellor signed the visitors’ book at the historic site.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Chancellor Merz arrived in India on Monday for a two-day official visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi. Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat received him on arrival.
Bilateral talks to focus on strategic partnership
Chancellor Merz will be in India from January 12 to January 13. The two leaders are scheduled to hold bilateral meetings from 11.15 am onwards at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar.
The discussions are expected to review progress in the India–Germany Strategic Partnership, which recently completed 25 years. Talks will cover cooperation in trade and investment, technology, education, skilling and mobility, as well as defence and security, science and research, green and sustainable development, and people-to-people ties.
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On January 13, Chancellor Merz is scheduled to visit Bosch and the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE) before departing for Germany.
Prime Minister Modi and Chancellor Merz last met on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada, where the Indian Prime Minister had invited the German leader to visit India. The visit also comes ahead of the India–EU Summit scheduled for January 27.
