German vice chancellor likely to join PM Modi in Ahmedabad during Gujarat visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Vice Chancellor Friedrich Merz are expected to visit Ahmedabad on January 12, according to sources.

Merz is scheduled to arrive in India on January 12–13 for his first official visit and is likely to fly directly to Ahmedabad instead of New Delhi. PM Modi may receive him at the airport. 

An official announcement of the programme is expected shortly.

Both leaders are likely to attend the International Kite Festival on January 12 at the Sabarmati Riverfront. Sources said a roadshow involving the PM and the German VC may also be held from Ahmedabad airport.

There is also a possibility that the two prominent figures will visit the ongoing International Flower Show and participate in other events linked to the International Kite Festival. A bilateral meeting between PM Modi and VC Merz is likely to take place in Gandhinagar.

Following his engagements in Gujarat, the German VC is expected to depart directly for Bengaluru.

As per the tentative schedule, PM Modi is expected to stay overnight at Somnath on January 10. On January 11, he will travel to Rajkot to inaugurate the ‘Vibrant Gujarat Saurashtra Region Summit’ on Morbi Road and visit the exhibition venue. He is likely to arrive in Ahmedabad later that evening.

During his stay in the city, the PM may also visit the Sabarmati Ashram, which is currently undergoing redevelopment. He is expected to return to New Delhi on the evening of January 12, marking a three-day visit to Gujarat.