• In fact, there’s some stress on science and technology ahead of this visit. Could you elaborate?

Chancellor Merkel will put an emphasis on our cooperation in this field by flagging off a science train which will travel all over India for more than seven months. Leading international research institutions from Germany like the Max Planck Society and the Helmholtz Association have plans to intensify their cooperation with their Indian partners.

• Lastly, how are we faring on the economic front?

Our bilateral trade with India has doubled within 3 years and might even cross 12 billion euros this year. German companies are among the top investors in India. Our small and medium sized firms who form the backbone of the German economy, find a similar business culture prevailing among their Indian partners which are very often family-owned and family-run enterprises. However, this is no longer a one-way street. Indian investors find Germany more and more attractive for their investments.

Germany attaches great importance to the ongoing negotiations for a Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement between India and the EU, and hopes for a timely conclusion.