From K Mammen Mathew

Berlin

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will leave for India tomorrow together with a high-ranking delegation of several senior ministers to take part in the third joint meeting of the cabinets of the two countries with trade and security among key issues to be discussed.

Merkel and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will jointly chair the India-Germany inter-governmental consultations in New Delhi on Monday.

She will be accompanied by Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Food and Agriculture Minister Christian Schmidt, Minister for Education and Research Johanna Wanka and Minister for Development Cooperation Gerd Mueller.

Merkel is expected to convey problems faced by German industries in proceeding with planned investments.

The federal ministries of the interior, finance, labour, defence, transport and environment will be represented by their state secretaries, a government spokesman said here.

Further strengthening the cooperation between the two countries in the fields of economy, vocational training, science and technology, environment protection and development cooperation will be at the centre of the discussions.

Regional and global issues of mutual interest also will be discussed at the meeting.

The two sides are expected to sign several agreements and MoUs on the sidelines of the consultations.

Several leading representatives of Germany’s business and industry are part of Merkel’s delegation.

The chancellor will kick off her three-day visit in New Delhi on Monday morning by meeting some of India’s prominent women leaders from business and industry, science and technology and civil society.

Modi will receive Merkel later with full military honours and it will be followed by official talks between the two leaders.

Merkel will call on President Pranab Mukherjee during the day and will also meet External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for an exchange of views.

On Tuesday, the chancellor will visit the Robert Bosch company in Bangalore together with Modi and afterwards she will address a meeting of the Indo-German Economic Forum.

The two leaders are scheduled to meet some leading representatives of Indian and German business and industry at a lunch in Bangalore.

PTI