‘Stand united in fight against terror’: PM Modi speaks with Germany’s Merz

PM Modi and German Chancellor Merz exchanged views on regional and global issues and reiterated their shared commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms

Published on: May 20, 2025, 22:49:07 IST

By Rezaul H Laskar

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NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reiterated their shared commitment to combating all forms of terrorism during their first phone conversation on Tuesday.

Leader of the conservative Christian Democratic Union CDU party and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz acknowledges applause on his first party board meeting as German Chancellor in Berlin on May 19. (AFP)

Modi, who spoke to Merz to congratulate him on assuming office, said in a social media post: “Exchanged views on regional and global developments. We stand united in the fight against terrorism.”

The two leaders pledged to strengthen the strategic partnership between India and Germany during the conversation, which came against the backdrop of India’s recent military strikes against terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan. The strikes, under Operation Sindoor, were conducted in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack last month that killed 26 civilians.

The two leaders exchanged views on regional and global issues and “reiterated their shared commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms”, according to a statement from the external affairs ministry.

Modi and Merz pointed to the progress in the bilateral strategic partnership over the past 25 years and agreed to work closely to further strengthen bilateral ties, including in the areas of trade, investment, defence, security, innovation and technology, the statement said.

Both leaders also noted the “positive contribution” made by the Indian diaspora in Germany. PM Modi also invited Merz to visit India.

There are around 250,000 Indian passport holders and Indian-origin people in Germany, which is home to the third largest Indian community in Europe, after the UK and Italy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rezaul H Laskar
Rezaul Hasan Laskar is Foreign Editor with the Hindustan Times, which he joined in 2015. He began as a journalist in his hometown of Shillong in northeast India and has worked in newspapers and wire services over the years. He moved to New Delhi in 1997 and initially focused on defence, national security, Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast, while also working of foreign policy and international relations. He has been part of the media delegation accompanying PMs on foreign visits and has reported from destinations ranging from Tibet to Ukraine. Between 2007 and 2013, he was the Press Trust of India correspondent in Pakistan, one of only two Indian journalists allowed to report from the country. He extensively covered Pakistan’s domestic politics and the life of the common people, as well as the fallout of the 2008 Mumbai attacks on India-Pakistan relations and the subsequent trial in Pakistan of the suspects involved in the attack. As part of his reportage in Pakistan, he travelled the breadth of the country, from the Swat Valley to Balochistan. Reza’s first gig in journalism was writing a weekly music column, and music – especially classic rock – remains a keen interest. He is also a movie buff and a keen photographer.Read More

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