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India-Germany ties: What New Delhi expects from Berlin

Sandra Petersmann | Sharique Ahmad
January 11, 2026

As Chancellor Friedrich Merz visits India, New Delhi is seeking deeper trade, defence and technology cooperation with Germany amid shifting global alliances.

https://p.dw.com/p/56eNY

As German Chancellor Friedrich Merz travels to India, Berlin and New Delhi are rethinking their partnership amid global uncertainty. India wants German investment, defense cooperation and advanced technology to balance China and reduce reliance on Russia. With US policy unpredictable, both countries see closer ties as strategic, even as differences over China and Russia persist.

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