Explained: Why Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to India matters

Merkel is the first foreign leader to visit India after Jammu and Kashmir was officially bifurcated into two Union Territories on October 31.

On Friday, Germany and India signed 17 agreements and five joint declarations of intent in fields spanning space, civil aviation, maritime technology, medicine, yoga and education.

On Thursday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel along with a business delegation and cabinet colleagues came to India for a two-day visit for the fifth round of the biennial Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC).