India, Germany unveil defence industrial roadmap as Merz makes first Asia visit

New Delhi, January 12. India and Germany took a major step towards deepening their strategic and military partnership on January 12 as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz agreed on a new roadmap to expand defence industrial cooperation, including co-development and co-production of military platforms and advanced technologies.

The agreements were announced during Merz’s two-day official visit to India on January 12-13, his first trip to the country and his maiden visit to Asia after assuming office. The visit, which coincided with 75 years of diplomatic relations and 25 years of the India-Germany Strategic Partnership, was accompanied by a high-powered German delegation that included 23 leading CEOs and industry leaders.

During talks in Ahmedabad, Modi and Merz reaffirmed their shared commitment to a rules-based international order and reviewed ways to strengthen security and defence ties amid evolving global and regional challenges.

A key outcome of the visit was the signing of a Joint Declaration of Intent to develop a Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap, aimed at promoting long-term collaboration between Indian and German defence companies. The roadmap will facilitate technology partnerships, joint research, and the co-development and co-production of defence equipment, giving fresh momentum to industry-level cooperation between the two countries.

India also welcomed Germany’s move to streamline export clearances for defence equipment, a step that is expected to make it easier for German firms to participate in India’s fast-growing defence manufacturing sector. Both leaders noted the increasing interaction between defence companies through regular roundtables and seminars held in Berlin and New Delhi.

The two sides also highlighted ongoing cooperation in critical areas such as submarine technology, helicopter obstacle-avoidance systems and counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS), and agreed to build a deeper industrial partnership by combining India’s skilled workforce and cost advantages with Germany’s advanced technologies and investments.

On the operational side, Modi and Merz endorsed plans to strengthen military-to-military cooperation through more joint exercises, training programmes and exchanges of senior officers. They also welcomed institutionalised service-level talks and regular port calls by naval vessels of both countries.

Germany confirmed its participation in a series of major Indian military engagements in 2026, including Naval Exercise MILAN, the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Conclave of Chiefs in February, and the Air Combat Exercise TARANG SHAKTI in September. Berlin will also deploy a Liaison Officer to India’s Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), underlining its growing security engagement in the Indo-Pacific.

The leaders expressed satisfaction over the ongoing collaboration between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Europe’s Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) on the Eurodrone MALE unmanned aerial vehicle programme, which is expected to give India access to advanced military technologies and strengthen its defence links with Europe.

They also welcomed progress towards finalising a series of defence-related agreements, including a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on peacekeeping training, a Reciprocal Logistics Support Agreement between the armed forces, and enhanced knowledge exchange on new defence technologies between DRDO and Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw).

Modi and Merz strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms, including cross-border terrorism, and pledged closer cooperation against terrorist networks, financing and safe havens. They also welcomed the ratification of the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty and progress under the Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism.

Beyond defence, the visit also saw progress across trade, technology, climate and people-to-people ties, with both leaders reiterating support for an early conclusion of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement and expanding cooperation in areas such as semiconductors, green hydrogen and renewable energy.

Chancellor Merz thanked Prime Minister Modi for the warm reception and confirmed that the next round of India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations will be held in Germany later in 2026, as both countries seek to further elevate their strategic partnership.