PM Modi, German Chancellor fly kite depicting Lord Hanuman at Sabarmati riverfront | Watch

The MEA had earlier said Prime Minister Modi and Chancellor Merz will also engage with business and industry leaders

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad on Monday morning and paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi.

Sabarmati Ashram, also known as Gandhi Ashram, was established by Mahatma Gandhi in 1917. It was home to Gandhi from 1917 until 1930 and served as one of the main centres of India's freedom struggle.

After paying tributes to the Father of the Nation at the historic ashram, both the leaders reached Sabarmati Riverfront to inaugurate the International Kite Festival.

With Makar Sankranti just a few days away, the International Kite Festival will run for three days, concluding on January 14, with participation from 135 international kite enthusiasts representing 50 countries. Alongside them, 65 flyers from across India and 871 local participants from Gujarat will also take part in the event.

Ahmedabad, Gujarat: PM Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz flew a kite depicting Lord Hanuman pic.twitter.com/d6r3HE8f5n

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— IANS (@ians_india) January 12, 2026

This will be followed by bilateral engagements at Mahatma Mandir Convention Centre in Gandhinagar, where both leaders will review the progress made in the India-Germany strategic partnership, which has recently completed 25 years.

In the evening, Modi will join delegation-level talks between the two countries at Mahatma Mandir, followed by a joint press statement, officials said.

The MEA had earlier said Prime Minister Modi and Chancellor Merz will also engage with business and industry leaders and exchange views on issues of regional and global importance.

The visit is part of Chancellor Merz’s official trip to India, with a focus on deepening cooperation between India and Germany. It comes at a time when the two countries are marking 75 years of diplomatic ties and 25 years of their Strategic Partnership.

Merz is in India from January 12 to January 13, during which he and PM Modi will hold formal bilateral talks at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar.

The discussions are expected to include a review of the progress made under the India–Germany Strategic Partnership, which recently completed 25 years.